Analysis All
Departments getting better at evaluating major projects
24 Apr Analysis
Departments getting better at evaluating major projects
One-third of major projects now have a high quality evaluation plan in place, compared to just 8% in 2019
'Test-and-learn' approaches among proposed new additions to evaluation handbook
16 Apr Analysis
'Test-and-learn' approaches among proposed new additions to evaluation handbook
Evaluation Task Force seeks feedback from across government on potential updates to the Magenta Book
Commercial All
Home Office perm sec sets out plans to tackle compliance ‘weaknesses’
08 May Commercial
Home Office perm sec sets out plans to tackle compliance ‘weaknesses’
Antonia Romeo tells MPs multi-million-pound asylum-accommodation failings exposed need for “incentivised culture-change”
DBT seeks watchdog's advice on £136m Post Office subsidy to replace Horizon IT system
01 May Commercial
DBT seeks watchdog's advice on £136m Post Office subsidy to replace Horizon IT system
Department has proposed giving the public corporation significant funding to deliver ongoing tech upgrade work this year in support of eventual migration from Fujitsu platform
Digital, Data & Technology All
GDS seeks two leaders to 'pilot and scale AI projects' and 'incubate service journey transformation'
14 May Digital, Data & Technology
GDS seeks two leaders to 'pilot and scale AI projects' and 'incubate service journey transformation'
Deputy director-level posts both come with salaries of more than £100,000
Jobs moving out of London, office closures and Fast Stream targets: How much of today's civil service reform announcement is new?
14 May Civil Service Reform
Jobs moving out of London, office closures and Fast Stream targets: How much of today's civil service reform announcement is new?
Ministers have also promised "thousands" of jobs will move to the regions and 50% of Fast Stream roles will be based outside the capital
Operational Delivery All
HMRC labelled 'lumbering dinosaur' and urged to modernise systems
30 Apr Digital, Data & Technology
HMRC labelled 'lumbering dinosaur' and urged to modernise systems
PAC report finds rising costs of tax compliance and outdated systems have damaged trust in HMRC
Why is it so hard to sell an idea to government (even one that could make millions for the public purse)?
04 Apr Commercial
Why is it so hard to sell an idea to government (even one that could make millions for the public purse)?
To an outsider, reaching the right civil servants with an idea that could revolutionise services or save money seems impossible
Fraud, Error Debt & Grants All
Review to help government tackle fraudsters moves into second phase
23 Apr Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Review to help government tackle fraudsters moves into second phase
Jonathan Fisher KC's review to examine challenges faced by law enforcement in bringing fraudsters to justice
Ex-soldier jailed over £900k MoD fraud
16 Apr Security & Defence
Ex-soldier jailed over £900k MoD fraud
Five former colleagues escape custody over scam targeting online administration system
HR All
London-based civil service headcount to be cut by 12,000
14 May Civil Service Reform
London-based civil service headcount to be cut by 12,000
DHSC's Victoria Street headquarters to close amid push to move more jobs to regions
Civil service AI tool for consultation analysis passes first public test
14 May Digital, Data & Technology
Civil service AI tool for consultation analysis passes first public test
“Humphrey” component could save government £20m a year, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology says
Legal All
Ministerial directions and a 'powerful' board: Think tank's 'draft bill' sets out vision for statutory civil service
13 May Civil Service Reform
Ministerial directions and a 'powerful' board: Think tank's 'draft bill' sets out vision for statutory civil service
Cab sec would have responsibility for appointment and performance management of perm secs under IfG proposals
Should we be worried about the decline of parliamentary scrutiny?
09 May Brexit
Should we be worried about the decline of parliamentary scrutiny?
Complaints about declining standards of government scrutiny by parliament have been commonplace in recent times – particularly during the troubled years of Brexit and Covid. But how can such claims be objectively assessed, and crucially, have scrutiny standards since recovered?
Project Delivery All
Former DfT director appointed as NISTA chief exec
17 Apr HR
Former DfT director appointed as NISTA chief exec
Becky Wood, who joins the new body from EY, was senior responsible officer for Crossrail and other major rail projects
Continuing overspends on major capital projects in Northern Ireland dubbed 'unacceptable'
08 Apr Local & Devolved
Continuing overspends on major capital projects in Northern Ireland dubbed 'unacceptable'
Urgent review of NICS Board needed, NI Public Accounts Committee says as £3bn overspend revealed
Property & Estates All
DWP's new Blackpool office opens amid reports SR25 funding will depend on job relocations
12 May HR
DWP's new Blackpool office opens amid reports SR25 funding will depend on job relocations
3,000 officials will move to Talbot Gateway site as Cabinet Office ups pressure to move jobs "closer to frontline services"
‘Lessons being learned’ over GPA spending-control failings, MPs told
01 May Corporate Finance
‘Lessons being learned’ over GPA spending-control failings, MPs told
Cabinet Office perm sec Cat Little says checks and balances failed to expand at same pace as rest of agency
Communications All
Fact checker defends ex-perm sec over pension-reform claims
13 May Communications
Fact checker defends ex-perm sec over pension-reform claims
Full Fact says claims about Sir Robert Devereux being "responsible for increasing the state pension age to 67" are missing context
As the Freedom of Information Act turns 20, can it outwit the delete button?
03 Apr Communications
As the Freedom of Information Act turns 20, can it outwit the delete button?
The positive effects of FoI risk being undermined by private communication channels
Finance All
UK aid is ten times more scrutinised than other government spending
12 May Finance
UK aid is ten times more scrutinised than other government spending
While aid-spending agencies make up only 1.3% of UK government spending, they are the subject of 12.5% of all government evaluations
Treasury seeks technical efficiencies of ‘at least 1% a year’ from departments
28 Apr Finance
Treasury seeks technical efficiencies of ‘at least 1% a year’ from departments
Perm sec tells MPs “stretching and realistic” Spending Review targets are being worked up with the Office for Value for Money
Science & Engineering All
Dinosaurs, data and digital policy: What are the woolly mammoths in the room?
08 May Digital, Data & Technology
Dinosaurs, data and digital policy: What are the woolly mammoths in the room?
Doug Gurr, newly appointed interim chair of the CMA and director of the Natural History Museum, warns that the UK is missing out on the fruits of scientific research
MPs back Tom Adeyoola for Innovate UK executive chair
16 Apr Digital, Data & Technology
MPs back Tom Adeyoola for Innovate UK executive chair
Entrepreneur gets select-committee thumbs up to lead tech-funding agency for £215k a year
Policy All
Crisis response handbook update sets out more prominent role for Cabinet Office
02 May Civil Service Reform
Crisis response handbook update sets out more prominent role for Cabinet Office
Refresh sets out new structures for responding to catastrophic crises, including new crisis SRO role
Lord Bichard: Inquiry chairs should not feel pressured to make recommendations that are ‘convenient’ to officials
01 May Civil Service Reform
Lord Bichard: Inquiry chairs should not feel pressured to make recommendations that are ‘convenient’ to officials
Highlights from a House of Lords debate into the effectiveness of statutory inquiries
Energy & Environment All
Tamara Finkelstein to step down as Defra perm sec
29 Apr Energy & Environment
Tamara Finkelstein to step down as Defra perm sec
Policy profession head's "expertise, knowledge, and experience have been invaluable in driving forward real progress", environment secretary says
Defra appoints chief scientific adviser
10 Apr Energy & Environment
Defra appoints chief scientific adviser
Perm sec Tamara Finkelstein says Anjali Goswami will bring "a wealth of knowledge and expertise" to the role