Communications

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

Former head of the civil service tells Labour's own FoI review that intentional leaks to the press show "double standard" in Whitehall over the transparency law

Former head of the civil service says "public will draw their own conclusions" about any attempt to curb the transparency law

Furious online reaction to Spending Review blog prompts response by cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood and civil service chief executive John Manzoni – with the pair emphasising areas where civil service is more flexible than the private sector

Live: Rolling coverage of the Comprehensive Spending Review and Autumn Statement provided by CSW's sister title PoliticsHome

National Cyber Centre to open in Cheltenham, George Osborne announces, amid flurry of security spending announcements in the wake of the Paris terror attacks

Special report: Extensive cross-government survey finds broad range of views on the FOI act – with calls for more central support in dealing with requests and just over 50% of officials in favour of introducing charges

Many of the world’s most famous government officials never actually existed. As the legendary crown servant James Bond returns to our screens in Spectre, we profile some more made-up mandarins – and invite you to vote for your favourite. Illustrations by John Levers

Home secretary says it is right that cabinet ministers are "not making comments" on Heathrow's third runway until final government decision

Civil servants urged to give honest feedback on their working lives

Lin Homer tells MPs on the Public Accounts Committee that HMRC's "most basic" jobs will continue to be cut as department reduces number of sites across UK

Committee chair warns change to rules ahead of Europe vote has "cast a shadow of doubt over the propriety of the process"

Cabinet secretary says proposed purdah rule change is needed to eliminate legal uncertainty for ministers, and says civil service impartiality will not be undermined

Prime minister urges Whitehall officials to make communications "brief, simple, human and jargon-free"

Independent Commission for Aid Impact says DfID’s aid measurement focuses too much on short term financial results over long term ‘transformative change’

Inquiry led by cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood points the finger at former scottish secretary and his special adviser for leaking of Nicola Sturgeon memo, but civil servant at centre of claims is cleared

Higher Education Policy Institute sounds alarm on un-recouped student loans

Civil service memo on Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon's private conversation with French Ambassador originated in Scotland Office, it emerges, as Cabinet Office-led leak inquiry gets underway

Public Administration Select Committee attacks Treasury decision to publish letter on sharing the pound with an independent Scotland, and warns Scottish government's own 'White Paper' too political

Downing Street spokesperson says David Cameron disagrees with unions' view that civil service code change will undermine transparency

NAO chief Amyas Morse warns officials may not be thinking through implications of spending reductions

Departments tell National Audit Office cross-government working would be bolstered by better 'support and challenge' at the centre of government

Whitehall should be prepared to take responsibility for delivering programmes, says Troubled Families chief Louise Casey

Former cabinet secretary warns too many politicians 'don't get' poverty