Commercial

Foreign secretary tells the House of Commons that some cleaners contracted to FCO were made redundant because of estate downsizing – and not because they sent him a letter about their pay

Cabinet Office minister Matt Hancock releases figures showing GDS exits since May represent 2% of its workforce – while Labour warns of "haemorrhaging" of digital talent

Camila Batmanghelidjh tells MPs there has been an "enormous amount of leaking from government offices" over charity's financial management

MoJ will not seek single supplier for debt collection – and department confirms it will keep enforcement in-house

Business secretary tells MPs that axing Department for Business, Innovation and Skills would be a "step backwards". But he asks: "Do we need 80 locations?"

Interim chief inspector of probation Paul Wilson tells CSW he is optimistic about the 'Transforming Rehabilitation' scheme – but warns over “more for less” culture

Justice secretary Michael Gove tells MPs that Just Solutions International – the commercial arm of the National Offender Management Service – will abandon deal to advise Saudi Arabia on running of prisons

Beyond the comfort zone: Andrew Rogoyski, head of cyber security services at global IT supplier CGI, tells Civil Service World about an eye-opening secondment working on cyber security in the Cabinet Office

Jeremy Heywood says "absolutely vital" digital team moving to "next phase" with departure of chief Mike Bracken

"This is the start of regaining control of the IT estate," says outgoing DVLA digital chief Iain Patterson, as agency moves services back in-house

Defence secretary tells RUSI think tank that the latest cross-government defence strategy will be "positive, assertive and quite properly strategic"

New watchdog the Single Source Regulations Office seeks to overhaul MoD deals with single-source contractors

Transformation programme director Michael Beaven takes up post with private firm after four years at the Government Digital Service

Successful bidders for government contracts will see agreed commitments to apprentice recruitment written into contracts above £10m from next month

Crown Commercial Service says extension of licensing deal with Oracle lays the foundation of a “more collaborative” relationship

Outgoing digital chief Mike Bracken cites "stresses and strains" of the job – but says Government as a Platform plans still being assessed

Cabinet Office says departure of the government's digital chief will prompt rethink of the "best structure for the next phase of digital transformation"

Civil service chief executive talks up Single Departmental Plans, saying they will offer "single, clear roadmap" for managing resources ahead of the Spending Review

Cabinet Office announces that Bill Crothers – who oversaw the set-up of the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) – is to leave post, with search for successor already underway

Philip Hammond tells MPs that while Treasury's 25% and 40% cuts call likely to be "aspirational", FCO must make "strategic" savings

Annual report from the Civil Service Commission says senior civil service pay curbs could lead to loss of "some of the most talented" officials

Outgoing Foreign Office permanent secretary stresses the need for “balance” between the centre of government and individual departments ahead of further reforms

PAC chair Meg Hillier accuses the DCLG perm sec of "sophistry" as Melanie Dawes seeks to explain communities department's handling of scheme to free up public land for new homes

Justice secretary stresses that departmental non-execs – designed to sharpen outside scrutiny of Whitehall – are ministerial appointments, after overseeing shake-up of MoJ board