Red light, green light: examining the government's progress on improving its performance
22 Apr Commercial

Red light, green light: examining the government's progress on improving its performance

CSW assesses progress against key actions set out in the Declaration on Government Reform, and explores how volunteering can boost skills and support key priorities
by Suzannah Brecknell
MoD to decide on future of troubled Ajax programme by end of year
17 Aug Commercial
MoD to decide on future of troubled Ajax programme by end of year
Legacy costs take spending on digital border programme to £700m
11 Aug Commercial
Legacy costs take spending on digital border programme to £700m
The savvy shopper: CCS boss Simon Tse on delivering value for money and supporting policy priorities
11 Aug Commercial
The savvy shopper: CCS boss Simon Tse on delivering value for money and supporting policy priorities
Driving commercial awareness in the civil service Partner Content
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
'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
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
MPs put lobbying rules under the spotlight after Greensill scandal
27 Jul Commercial
MPs put lobbying rules under the spotlight after Greensill scandal
Probe will examine weaknesses exposed by the Greensill scandal, including the disclosure of senior officials’ external meetings
Suppliers see progress in government tech-savviness, research finds
19 Jul Commercial
Suppliers see progress in government tech-savviness, research finds
But tech firms also see continued challenges, including overlapping frameworks and lack of clarity on social-value requirements
Government 'shouldn’t be scrambling' for external hires, Kate Bingham says
18 Jul Commercial
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
DCMS consultancy spending quadruples in two years
14 Jul Commercial
DCMS consultancy spending quadruples in two years
Money spent on external advice increased fourfold overnight
The making of the Scheme Delivery Framework Partner Content
08 Jul Commercial
The making of the Scheme Delivery Framework
The team at National Highways sat down with Proxima to share their thoughts on their new Scheme Delivery Framework. They touched on the success and challenges faced along the way and what the future holds for the procurement team
Home Office perm sec hits back at calls to privatise HM Passport Office
27 Jun Commercial
Home Office perm sec hits back at calls to privatise HM Passport Office
Hotline performance disproves the argument that “the way to reduce the size of the civil service is to privatise it", Rycroft says
‘Levelling Up’ — delivering the Civil Service’s ‘second headquarters’ in Glasgow Partner Content
17 Jun Commercial
‘Levelling Up’ — delivering the Civil Service’s ‘second headquarters’ in Glasgow
Melinda Johnson, Commercial Director at the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), outlines how Glasgow’s new office will provide significant opportunities in Scotland’s biggest city
CCS creates new £194k chief commercial officer role
30 May Commercial
CCS creates new £194k chief commercial officer role
Government Commercial Organisation boss will lead new directorate and deputise for chief exec Simon Tse
Perm sec admits 'room for improvement' over Scottish Government correspondence delays
26 May Commercial
Perm sec admits 'room for improvement' over Scottish Government correspondence delays
A quarter of ministerial correspondence replies missed their deadline, as did one in six FoI responses
MPs lambast departments' 'unacceptable' widespread non-compliance with tax-dodge rules
25 May Commercial
MPs lambast departments' 'unacceptable' widespread non-compliance with tax-dodge rules
Government bodies “should be best placed” to understand IR35 rules, but HMRC partly to blame for "rushed" and poor implementation
From the editor: You are not very good at judging risk. Sorry.
20 May Commercial
From the editor: You are not very good at judging risk. Sorry.
There are many issues to consider when assessing decisions taken around procurement in the early days of Covid. That’s why a full inquiry is being held
£1,200-a-day consultants make up more than one in 10 of UK Health Security Agency workforce
17 May Commercial
£1,200-a-day consultants make up more than one in 10 of UK Health Security Agency workforce
Jenny Harries reveals average day rates for management consultants – who are paid between £706 and £3,100 a day
Driving social value through the New Prisons Programme Partner Content
12 Apr Commercial
Driving social value through the New Prisons Programme
The Ministry of Justice’s Sue McElroy and Melissa Dudley sat down with Proxima recently to discuss the department’s prison build programme and how it is driving social value
DHSC names IT firm as £18m ‘delivery partner’ on Covid pass Exclusive
11 Apr Commercial
DHSC names IT firm as £18m ‘delivery partner’ on Covid pass
Netcompany to provide “operational management, incident management and support” as Covid pass use winds down within UK
EXCL: DHSC to pay up to £35m to dispose of unused pandemic PPE Exclusive
08 Apr Commercial
EXCL: DHSC to pay up to £35m to dispose of unused pandemic PPE
Waste companies to get £17.5m apiece after department admitted plans to burn mountains of equipment
MoD seeks external race adviser to improve diversity – but fails to fill post Exclusive
06 Apr Commercial
MoD seeks external race adviser to improve diversity – but fails to fill post
Ministry of Defence says it wants to “learn from others” on D&I, but tender failed to attract suitable bids
Departments told to review contracts with Russian suppliers
29 Mar Commercial
Departments told to review contracts with Russian suppliers
Public bodies urged to find ways to "sever their commercial ties to Russia" – but guidance show the action they can take is limited
DHSC bought £122m PPE from Tory peer-linked firm 'for almost three times manufacturing fee'
28 Mar Commercial
DHSC bought £122m PPE from Tory peer-linked firm 'for almost three times manufacturing fee'
The 25 million gowns were never used after failing an inspection
The NHS workforce plan: the Godot of public policy?
22 Mar Commercial
The NHS workforce plan: the Godot of public policy?
Workforce shortages and an end to free lateral flow testing are just some of the issues giving our health columnist a headache
DfT to review contracts with P&O Ferries after company sacks 800 staff
18 Mar Commercial
DfT to review contracts with P&O Ferries after company sacks 800 staff
Decision is "wholly unacceptable", minister says, as firm faces call to repay furlough cash