Perm secs could face duty to plan office moves better
01 Aug 2023 Politics & Constitution
Perm secs could face duty to plan office moves better
MPs call for guidance requiring departmental leaders to properly explore all options before signing off on major schemes
UK ‘faces ban’ on diverting ODA towards domestic asylum-seeker costs
31 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
UK ‘faces ban’ on diverting ODA towards domestic asylum-seeker costs
OECD says government’s new Illegal Migration Act could undermine controversial practice, according to reports
MPs demand cross-departmental review of ‘incoherent’ approach to food policy
28 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
MPs demand cross-departmental review of ‘incoherent’ approach to food policy
Report calls on Cabinet Office to take action amid supply fears, cost-of-living concerns and obesity crisis
‘Wholly unconvincing’: PACAC chair slams ministers' decision to block release of outcome delivery plans
26 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
‘Wholly unconvincing’: PACAC chair slams ministers' decision to block release of outcome delivery plans
William Wragg says “disappointing” choice will reduce ability of parliament and public to scrutinise departments’ plans
Cabinet Office to change guidance used to block experts critical of government from speaking to civil servants
25 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Cabinet Office to change guidance used to block experts critical of government from speaking to civil servants
Ministers should get "serious" and ask independent body to review impartiality advice, academic argues
Tom Scholar sacking cost Treasury almost £500k, annual accounts reveal
21 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Tom Scholar sacking cost Treasury almost £500k, annual accounts reveal
Document contains tributes to perm sec axed by Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng
Capability-based pay must reflect 'productivity, efficiency and delivery', says Cabinet Office minister
20 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Capability-based pay must reflect 'productivity, efficiency and delivery', says Cabinet Office minister
Jeremy Quin says system can't be about rewarding officials for having more qualifications
Ministers must disclose job-offer chats to their perm sec, ethics chief tells MPs
20 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Ministers must disclose job-offer chats to their perm sec, ethics chief tells MPs
But Laurie Magnus is coy about using his investigatory powers to probe misuse of statistics, even when UKSA sounds the alarm
Unions suspend CQC strikes after cost-of-living payment deal
20 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Unions suspend CQC strikes after cost-of-living payment deal
Healthcare regulator confirms staff will receive £1,500 one-off boost
Sunak urged to give civil service vote of confidence
19 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Sunak urged to give civil service vote of confidence
Constitutional reforms are needed to rebuild trust in the political system and restore relations between ministers and civil servants, researchers say
Strikes looming over public sector pay in Northern Ireland
18 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Strikes looming over public sector pay in Northern Ireland
Civil servants are disadvantaged compared to the rest of the UK, unions claim
High Court backs unions challenging ‘strike-breaking’ legislation
14 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
High Court backs unions challenging ‘strike-breaking’ legislation
Judge rules business department did not consult properly on Kwarteng-led changes to aid the use of agency workers
Rules over public bodies should be re-written, IFG says
13 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Rules over public bodies should be re-written, IFG says
Think tank calls for arm’s-length bodies to be seen as a viable option rather than a last resort
NAO report spotlights ‘pitfalls’ for cross-department working
07 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
NAO report spotlights ‘pitfalls’ for cross-department working
Research finds 63% of civil servants see data-sharing issues as a barrier to collaboration
Chris Pincher: Civil servant traumatised by MP’s groping
06 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Chris Pincher: Civil servant traumatised by MP’s groping
Former Conservative Party deputy chief whip faces recall ballot after “unwanted, upsetting and deeply inappropriate” behaviour at Carlton Club
Public appointments delays are ‘intolerable’, commissioner says
05 Jul 2023 Politics & Constitution
Public appointments delays are ‘intolerable’, commissioner says
William Shawcross tells MPs that government is losing “a lot of good candidates” because of backlogs
Minister quits government over Sunak's 'uninterest' in the environment
30 Jun 2023 Politics & Constitution
Minister quits government over Sunak's 'uninterest' in the environment
Zac Goldsmith said Sunak's approach to the environment "has trickled down through Whitehall and caused a kind of paralysis"
Johnson breached ethics rules over Daily Mail column job
28 Jun 2023 Politics & Constitution
Johnson breached ethics rules over Daily Mail column job
Committee chair Eric Pickles says breach is “further illustration of how out of date the government’s business rules are”
DLUHC gets new warning on crisis in local government audit
23 Jun 2023 Politics & Constitution
DLUHC gets new warning on crisis in local government audit
MPs say problems with councils’ £100bn-a-year spend are being exposed too late, and “the rot risks spreading” to central government and the NHS
Plans for prime minister's department scrapped, Dowden confirms
23 Jun 2023 Politics & Constitution
Plans for prime minister's department scrapped, Dowden confirms
No need to create "Office of the Prime Minister" that Boris Johnson said would "fix" No.10 post-Partygate, minister says
MPs launch probe into cross-Whitehall strategic thinking
22 Jun 2023 Politics & Constitution
MPs launch probe into cross-Whitehall strategic thinking
Liaison Committee will examine how well government identifies opportunities, as well as risks and threats
Ministerial bullying of civil servants an 'overstated issue', former HR chief says
21 Jun 2023 Politics & Constitution
Ministerial bullying of civil servants an 'overstated issue', former HR chief says
Senior officials "should be resilient enough to deal with situations that might be perceived as being pressured or bullying", Rupert McNeil tells MPs
Met Police launches new Partygate investigation
19 Jun 2023 Politics & Constitution
Met Police launches new Partygate investigation
Force investigating CCHQ video and potential breaches at Chequers, No.10 and parliament
Rees-Mogg: Civil servants told ministers to say 'Covid rules were followed' in No.10
19 Jun 2023 Politics & Constitution
Rees-Mogg: Civil servants told ministers to say 'Covid rules were followed' in No.10
Ex-minister says it was "clear that was what officials were telling ministers" despite Privileges Committee finding no evidence of this