Analysis All
Scottish Government launches evaluation-and-appraisal centre
27 May Analysis
Scottish Government launches evaluation-and-appraisal centre
Creation of the centre recognises key role the two processes play in effective decision making, minister says
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
Commercial All
Outsourced staff accept 'groundbreaking' pay and benefits offer
12 Jun Commercial
Outsourced staff accept 'groundbreaking' pay and benefits offer
PCS lauds "first of its kind" pay package for outsourced facilities management contracts in the civil service
DSIT building 'one-stop tech shop' for public sector procurement
09 Jun Commercial
DSIT building 'one-stop tech shop' for public sector procurement
Government anticipates £1.2bn-a-year savings from platform
Digital, Data & Technology All
Spending Review: DSIT gets £1.2bn boost to fund cross-department digital priorities
11 Jun Civil Service Reform
Spending Review: DSIT gets £1.2bn boost to fund cross-department digital priorities
Announcement brings total funding for cross-cutting digital priorities to £1.9bn over SR25 period
Which tasks do public servants spend too long on? And how can AI help?
10 Jun Digital, Data & Technology
Which tasks do public servants spend too long on? And how can AI help?
The government is placing high hopes on the potential for AI to improve productivity in public services. But where can it be most of use?
Operational Delivery All
SR25: MoJ gets funding injection for new prison places and probation services
12 Jun Justice & Home Affairs
SR25: MoJ gets funding injection for new prison places and probation services
£7bn will be used to create 14,000 prison places by 2031, while probation services will get up to £700m per year by 2028‑29 to implement sentencing review recommendations
MoJ sets up new probation and reoffending directorate
02 Jun HR
MoJ sets up new probation and reoffending directorate
Up to £100,000 on offer for director to lead work on probation policy and community and reoffending policy
Fraud, Error Debt & Grants All
SR25: HMRC gets £1.7bn for big increase in compliance and debt management staff
12 Jun Economics
SR25: HMRC gets £1.7bn for big increase in compliance and debt management staff
Department also gets £500m "to make HMRC a truly digital-first organisation"
HMRC loses £47m in ‘organised crime’ attack on customer accounts
05 Jun Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
HMRC loses £47m in ‘organised crime’ attack on customer accounts
Thousands of people are being told their accounts have been locked down over fraud fears
HR All
SR25: 'Canary Wharf costs half as much as Westminster' – departments outline estate plans
13 Jun HR
SR25: 'Canary Wharf costs half as much as Westminster' – departments outline estate plans
From the Cabinet Office moving jobs to east London to a HMRC promise that seems to have already been delivered, here are the highlights from departments' property efficiency plans
SR25: Defra eyes 5% headcount cuts as departments set out workforce reduction plans
13 Jun HR
SR25: Defra eyes 5% headcount cuts as departments set out workforce reduction plans
DSIT and DBT target smaller senior civil service workforce, while Cabinet Office and DfT aim for less managers per staff member
Legal All
Civil servants ‘can resign’ if they strongly oppose Gaza policy
10 Jun Foreign Affairs
Civil servants ‘can resign’ if they strongly oppose Gaza policy
FCDO perm sec tells hundreds of officials who raised concerns that “quitting is an honourable course”
'Years of neglect' to blame for Legal Aid Agency data breach, minister says
03 Jun Digital, Data & Technology
'Years of neglect' to blame for Legal Aid Agency data breach, minister says
Cyberattack was enabled by the "fragility of the LAA’s IT systems", Sarah Sackman says
Project Delivery All
‘Radically’ shorter Green Book will support place-based budgeting and transformational change
11 Jun Civil Service Reform
‘Radically’ shorter Green Book will support place-based budgeting and transformational change
Treasury announces results of review into its guidance on appraising policies and projects
From the archives: Peter Unwin on reaching the Kyoto climate change agreement, the problem with super-departments and how best to reform government
02 Jun Civil Service Reform
From the archives: Peter Unwin on reaching the Kyoto climate change agreement, the problem with super-departments and how best to reform government

The outgoing chief executive of The Whitehall & Industry Group – and a former senior civil servant in several departments – sits down with Suzannah Brecknell to discuss international negotiations, super departments, and the perils of hierarchies
Property & Estates All
The government needs a workforce plan to inform civil service relocation
21 May Civil Service Reform
The government needs a workforce plan to inform civil service relocation
Last week brought major announcements about job relocations and office closures, but it will be a false start unless the government creates clarity and coherence out of the patchwork of civil service offices across the country
MoD breaks ground on site for 1,100 staff in Blackpool
20 May Security & Defence
MoD breaks ground on site for 1,100 staff in Blackpool
The Talbot Gateway site will be the new home for Defence Business Services in the region
Communications All
Perm sec-level job created to lead government comms as Simon Baugh departs
20 May Civil Service Reform
Perm sec-level job created to lead government comms as Simon Baugh departs
Director of government comms will “play pivotal role in overseeing major reform of how UK government communicates with the public”, advert says
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
Finance All
OBR chief in line for another five-year term
02 Jun Economy
OBR chief in line for another five-year term
Chancellor Rachel Reeves backs Richard Hughes to serve as watchdog chair until 2030
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
Science & Engineering All
DESNZ seeks 'exemplary science communicator' to become chief scientist
21 May Energy & Environment
DESNZ seeks 'exemplary science communicator' to become chief scientist
Successful candidate will succeed Paul Monks, who is leaving for the British Geological Survey
Departments to set 10-year budgets for research and development
20 May Science & Engineering
Departments to set 10-year budgets for research and development
Science minister Patrick Vallance confirms plans to support long-term funding for certain R&D activities
Policy All
Government needs to give more clarity on 'missions', MPs told
21 May Civil Service Reform
Government needs to give more clarity on 'missions', MPs told
Inquiry hears doubts that departments are configured to deliver on Starmer’s cross-cutting ambitions
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?
Energy & Environment All
Ex-civil servant Peter Unwin returns as Natural England deputy chair
02 Jun Energy & Environment
Ex-civil servant Peter Unwin returns as Natural England deputy chair
Peter Unwin's four-decade civil service career includes a stint as acting perm sec at Defra
Defra announces closure of Newcastle office
15 May Energy & Environment
Defra announces closure of Newcastle office
Plans to shut Lancaster House hub come after upgrade and expansion