Unions slam Reform UK plans to oust perm secs and cut 68,500 jobs
15 Dec 2025 Commercial

Unions slam Reform UK plans to oust perm secs and cut 68,500 jobs

Party announces more details of civil service reform policies including weakening pensions in favour of higher bonuses, increasing office working and big cuts to policy profession
by Tevye Markson
Central commercial teams to merge into new Government Commercial Agency
11 Feb Commercial
Central commercial teams to merge into new Government Commercial Agency
Senior civil servant sentenced over child abuse images
09 Feb Commercial
Senior civil servant sentenced over child abuse images
When great relationships aren't enough: The real work of commercial management
11 Nov 2025 Commercial
When great relationships aren't enough: The real work of commercial management
Gavin Williamson referred firm that won £1.7m PPE contract to VIP lane, DHSC admits
14 Feb 2022 Commercial
Gavin Williamson referred firm that won £1.7m PPE contract to VIP lane, DHSC admits
Department says it mistakenly left the company off a list of those referred to the high-priority lane in November
Randox lobbying scandal: Chisholm ‘disappointed’ in DHSC’s procurement process for £500m contracts
08 Feb 2022 Commercial
Randox lobbying scandal: Chisholm ‘disappointed’ in DHSC’s procurement process for £500m contracts
Cabinet Office perm sec’s concerns revealed as Owen Paterson’s lobbying texts published
Learning from moonshots: what a mission-oriented approach to policymaking really looks like
02 Feb 2022 Commercial
Learning from moonshots: what a mission-oriented approach to policymaking really looks like
From industrial strategies and booster campaigns to levelling up, government announcements are full of "missions" at the moment. Theo Curtis, an economist at the business department, digs behind the buzz
DHSC writes off £8.7bn of pandemic PPE
01 Feb 2022 Commercial
DHSC writes off £8.7bn of pandemic PPE
The losses included £2.5bn spent on PPE that was not suitable for the NHS or in care settings
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
28 Jan 2022 Commercial
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
NHS England chief rapped for failure to publish ministerial direction letter on time
Greensill report a 'cynical attempt to distract from real issues', Jeremy Heywood's widow says
24 Jan 2022 Commercial
Greensill report a 'cynical attempt to distract from real issues', Jeremy Heywood's widow says
In a new chapter of the late cabinet secretary's biography, Suzanne Heywood details her attempts to give evidence to the Boardman review
2022: The year that procurement drives significant societal change Partner Content
24 Jan 2022 Commercial
2022: The year that procurement drives significant societal change
Proxima recently sat down with procurement leaders from both the public and private sector, including Simon Tse of the Crown Commercial Service, to discuss the trends to keep an eye on for 2022
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
19 Jan 2022 Commercial
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
Significant progress made on cutting consultant numbers, but short-term roles and secondments deter officials from applying
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
12 Jan 2022 Commercial
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
Some firms marked as high priority for contracts with "no objectively justifiable grounds for expediting the offer", court finds
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
07 Jan 2022 Commercial
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
Companies in the fast-track lane were 14 times more likely to win contracts than other suppliers, according to the NAO
Gareth Rhys Williams on 2021's toughest trials: 'maintaining morale (and gallows humour) in the face of scrutiny'
31 Dec 2021 Commercial
Gareth Rhys Williams on 2021's toughest trials: 'maintaining morale (and gallows humour) in the face of scrutiny'
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. Government's chief commercial officer tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid while pushing ahead with new challenges
‘Lessons we’ve learned will stand us in good stead’: CCS chief Simon Tse looks back on 2021
21 Dec 2021 Commercial
‘Lessons we’ve learned will stand us in good stead’: CCS chief Simon Tse looks back on 2021
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The Crown Commercial Service chief executive tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid while pushing ahead with new challenges