Analysis All
As Boris Johnson prepares to step down, what do the next few months hold for civil servants?
12 Jul Analysis
As Boris Johnson prepares to step down, what do the next few months hold for civil servants?
How will officials support the caretaker government as Conservative Party leadership elections to decide the next PM get underway? Experts weigh in
Data black hole means government lacks grasp on two-thirds of local spending
04 May Analysis
Data black hole means government lacks grasp on two-thirds of local spending
Government does not understand why local authority performances vary due to £10bn data gap, think tank says
Commercial All
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Driving commercial awareness in the civil service
11 Aug Commercial
Driving commercial awareness in the civil service
Clare Gibbs, Senior Director and Commercial Specialist at the Cabinet Office describes how her team is looking to embed commercial awareness from the word go
CCS consultancy spend goes up, but agency-staff costs plummet
10 Aug Commercial
CCS consultancy spend goes up, but agency-staff costs plummet
Annual report says Crown Commercial Service delivered almost £3bn in benefits to the public sector in 2021-2022
Digital, Data & Technology All
Home Office buys thousands of ‘migrant tracker’ wristbands as it expands monitoring
10 Aug Digital, Data & Technology
Home Office buys thousands of ‘migrant tracker’ wristbands as it expands monitoring
Use of barcode-scanning system comes alongside GPS ankle tags and biometric tracking
Passport Office processing up to one in four applications by outdated system, minister admits
03 Aug Digital, Data & Technology
Passport Office processing up to one in four applications by outdated system, minister admits
The new digital application processing platform was originally due to be fully implemented by 2019
Operational Delivery All
'Talking to angry customers can be challenging and you can end up taking it personally. But your job is to solve the query'
02 Aug Operational Delivery
'Talking to angry customers can be challenging and you can end up taking it personally. But your job is to solve the query'
A huge diversity of people and roles make up the modern civil service. Ioana Sur shares what it's been like on the HMRC front line during the pandemic
'You need to be professional, trustworthy, and tolerate long hours inside the abattoir': what it takes to be a meat hygiene inspector
02 Aug Operational Delivery
'You need to be professional, trustworthy, and tolerate long hours inside the abattoir': what it takes to be a meat hygiene inspector
A huge diversity of people and roles make up the modern civil service. Stephen Holden was named the FSA’s Meat Hygiene Inspector of the Year for 2022. Here he reflects on 30 years ensuring meat is safe to eat and animal welfare is not compromised
Fraud, Error Debt & Grants All
Stepping up the fight: How a new public body aims to protect taxpayers’ money from fraud
03 Aug Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Stepping up the fight: How a new public body aims to protect taxpayers’ money from fraud
The Public Sector Fraud Authority is set to change the way government departments and public bodies deal with the nation’s most common crime. Interim chief exec Mark Cheeseman answers CSW’s questions
'We’re here to lock up the bad guys': using forensics to foil fraudsters
02 Aug Digital, Data & Technology
'We’re here to lock up the bad guys': using forensics to foil fraudsters
A huge diversity of people and roles make up the modern civil service. Colin Smith started out as a police officer before moving into the private sector. Now he leads forensics at HMRC
HR All
Cost of living crisis: One in 12 civil servants 'using food banks'
09 Aug Economy
Cost of living crisis: One in 12 civil servants 'using food banks'
Exodus as 38% of officials responding to union survey say they are looking for jobs outside civil service
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – August 8
08 Aug HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – August 8
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
Legal All
MPs demand answers on ‘unlawful’ DWP benefits guidance
27 Jun Justice & Home Affairs
MPs demand answers on ‘unlawful’ DWP benefits guidance
Select committee says crucial legal “safety net” for EEA nationals is not mentioned in memo for decision makers
Home Office civil servants' opinion of Rwanda policy 'irrelevant', Rycroft says
24 Jun HR
Home Office civil servants' opinion of Rwanda policy 'irrelevant', Rycroft says
Perm sec acknowledges "grey area" if staff think a policy is illegal, but said this was not the case for the Rwanda partnership
Project Delivery All
Bosses face £870k in fines over Carillion cover-up
29 Jul Commercial
Bosses face £870k in fines over Carillion cover-up
FCA says “misleading” statements about contracting giant’s finances aggravated the impact of its 2018 collapse
Treasury spending chief sounds alarm on inflationary pressures facing departments
22 Jul Economy
Treasury spending chief sounds alarm on inflationary pressures facing departments
Cat Little says some parts of government are “struggling” to evidence the impact of spiralling prices
Property & Estates All
Linton-on-Ouse asylum centre 'on hold' after MoD withdraws offer of former RAF base
10 Aug Security & Defence
Linton-on-Ouse asylum centre 'on hold' after MoD withdraws offer of former RAF base
Rishi Sunak's pledge not to open asylum centre in North Yorkshire town is moot, Ben Wallace says
'Little did I realise I would be working on some of the largest challenges of our lifetime from day one' – life as a commercial lead
02 Aug Commercial
'Little did I realise I would be working on some of the largest challenges of our lifetime from day one' – life as a commercial lead
A huge diversity of people and roles make up the modern civil service. Kobirul Islam helps to ensure outcomes are delivered efficiently at the Home Office. He also co-chairs the Commercial Function’s Positive Support Group
Communications All
Revealed: Tony Blair taken to task by officials over poor performance at PMQs
28 Jul Communications
Revealed: Tony Blair taken to task by officials over poor performance at PMQs
Newly released papers reveal how the then-prime minister was heavily criticised by his own officials
'Disappointing': Cabinet Office rejects call for more transparency about secretive FoI unit
12 Jul Communications
'Disappointing': Cabinet Office rejects call for more transparency about secretive FoI unit
Government says releasing more data on the FoI Clearing House would be a “disproportionate use of resources”
Finance All
Sunak says he changed funding formulas to put less money into 'deprived urban areas'
05 Aug Finance
Sunak says he changed funding formulas to put less money into 'deprived urban areas'
Ex-chancellor and Tory leader hopeful says Labour "shoved all the funding into deprived urban areas and that needed to be undone"
'My visual impairment has informed our pandemic recovery planning': the work of a deputy chief exec
02 Aug Digital, Data & Technology
'My visual impairment has informed our pandemic recovery planning': the work of a deputy chief exec
A huge diversity of people and roles make up the modern civil service. Paul Arnold has helped to ensure data is safely used and stored for 24 years at what is now the Information Commissioner’s Office
Science & Engineering All
Patrick Vallance to step down as chief scientific adviser
08 Aug Coronavirus
Patrick Vallance to step down as chief scientific adviser
Vallance says advising the government has been “immensely rewarding"
Government 'shouldn’t be scrambling' for external hires, Kate Bingham says
18 Jul Civil Service Reform
Government 'shouldn’t be scrambling' for external hires, Kate Bingham says
Ex-Vaccine Taskforce chief says government has not learned lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic
Policy All
Sedwill spearheads call for post-Brexit regulatory reform
09 Aug Brexit
Sedwill spearheads call for post-Brexit regulatory reform
Think tank’s proposals include giving Cabinet Office “greater grip” on regulatory policy and introducing “presumption against” new watchdogs
'I view this job as the most important I have ever had' – working to improve the SEN system
02 Aug Education
'I view this job as the most important I have ever had' – working to improve the SEN system
A huge diversity of people and roles make up the modern civil service. Sidrah Chowdry inadvertently started her career as a job centre adviser more than two decades ago. She now leads DfE's SEND policy and operations team
Energy & Environment All
Defra drops bid for higher pay rises, blaming 'escalating inflation'
22 Jul Economy
Defra drops bid for higher pay rises, blaming 'escalating inflation'
Economic pressure has made it "extremely unlikely" Cabinet Office and Treasury will sign off on pay-flexibility case, remuneration committee says
Pay constraint 'unjust, unwise, and unfair', says Environment Agency chief
21 Jul Economy
Pay constraint 'unjust, unwise, and unfair', says Environment Agency chief
James Bevan says staff are "experiencing real hardship" as inflation bites, with some using foodbanks