Commercial

With the end of 2016 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2017 – and shed some light on their festive favourites. This list will be updated throughout December, so check back regularly!

MP calls for further investigation into a contract between UKTI and a consultancy firm which was cancelled after officials raised concerns over invoicing

New recruit be responsible for managing a £50m annual IT budget

Manzoni and Gummer convene refreshed advisory panel as government reiterates commitment to channel 33% of procurement spend through SMEs

HMRC says Concentrix staff moving in-house are being given fresh training, as it confirms earlier-than-planned end to controversial fraud and error deal

Latest government commercial standards focus on building in-house clout and ask departments to justify use of interims

Former shadow Cabinet Office minister says the government still has questions to answer on troubled tax credit checks contract

HM Revenue & Customs chief exec Jon Thompson admits failings with fraud-busting contract just part of the "sub-optimal" picture on tax credits

HMRC chief says he will have "something to announce within the next few working days" about end of contract with US outsourcing firm, and says company "simply didn’t put enough people" on tax credit inquiry lines

Agency will keep Belfast-based workers on ahead of May 2017 termination of outsourced checks contract

In his first press briefing since taking over at the Government Digital Service, Kevin Cunnington signals his plan for lighter spend controls, a greater national presence – and perhaps a farewell to GDS's trademark bunting. Rebecca Hill of CSW's sister site PublicTechnology reports​

The Public Accounts Committee says the government's latest plan to cut costs by sharing back office functions has failed to learn the lessons of previous attempts