At the end of 2017, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2018 – and tell us what they cannot do Christmas without

MPs slam department’s weak oversight after company made unauthorised redundancy payouts totalling £1.76m

You can’t take the politics out of big projects, but strengthening the National Infrastructure Commission and building the evidence base will lead to wiser decisions

Infrastructure and Projects Authority says new team will be created to ensure costs and schedules of major schemes are achievable

Polly Payne and Ruth Hannant named directors general for Rail Group in move hailed by perm sec as progress in "overwhelmingly male" industry

Action pre-empts driving examiner strike expected to start in early December

Former Post Office and MoJ man Neil Hayward replaces Peter Gregory at DfT firm

RAC says plans to introduce clean air zones in cities could be hindered by lack of access to information

Bernadette Kelly asked by MPs to look into “possibility of fraud” over £1.7m made in unauthorised redundancy payments

Steve Allen to leave government-owned company building new rail link after auditors slam unauthorised redundancy payments

 IfG calls for expanded role for Major Project Leadership Academy, including “regular engagement” with ministers

Independent adviser also calls for consultation to be reopened because of impact of snap general election