Budget 2025: Departments told to find extra £4.9bn in efficiencies
26 Nov Economics

Budget 2025: Departments told to find extra £4.9bn in efficiencies

New target follows near-£14bn efficiencies committed to for SR25 period
by Tevye Markson
Budget 2025: OBR launches probe after publishing key document early
26 Nov Economics
Budget 2025: OBR launches probe after publishing key document early
HMT second perm sec Sam Beckett to depart
14 Nov Economics
HMT second perm sec Sam Beckett to depart
Rachel Reeves says Autumn Budget will 'protect public services from return to austerity'
04 Nov Economics
Rachel Reeves says Autumn Budget will 'protect public services from return to austerity'
DHSC second perm sec to become envoy for northern growth
30 Oct Economics
DHSC second perm sec to become envoy for northern growth
Riordan will work across government departments, with mayors and other external partners to co-develop a plan to support growth and investment across the north
HMRC error means public sector borrowing was overestimated by £3bn
09 Oct Economics
HMRC error means public sector borrowing was overestimated by £3bn
Correction gives Rachel Reeves a boost ahead of next month's budget
DHSC second perm sec appointed as National Wealth Fund NED
02 Oct Economics
DHSC second perm sec appointed as National Wealth Fund NED
Tom Riordan will take on position in addition to role as second perm sec at Department of Health and Social Care
Promising to do more with less has obvious attractions – but what happens if these gains fail to materialise?
22 Sep Economics
Promising to do more with less has obvious attractions – but what happens if these gains fail to materialise?
Cutting administrative budgets could end up cutting the quantity or quality of what the civil service provides, which wouldn't increase productivity at all
NAO: Simple cost-cutting won’t cut it – departments must develop more detailed understanding of costs
15 Sep Economics
NAO: Simple cost-cutting won’t cut it – departments must develop more detailed understanding of costs
Report finds cost information deficit is “barrier” to achieving “ambitious” productivity and efficiency aims set at SR25
Reeves announces late-November Autumn Budget
03 Sep Economics
Reeves announces late-November Autumn Budget
Chancellor says "renewal is our mission and growth is our challenge"
Why chasing productivity won’t save our public services
01 Sep Economics
Why chasing productivity won’t save our public services
Private firms are broadening their metrics beyond simple efficiency – public services should be even more cautious about allowing productivity alone to dominate reform narratives
Starmer shakes up No.10 operation with Minouche Shafik and Darren Jones picks
01 Sep Economics
Starmer shakes up No.10 operation with Minouche Shafik and Darren Jones picks
Jones appointed to new chief secretary to the PM position
Ex-John Lewis chair among three new Treasury NEDs
13 Aug Economics
Ex-John Lewis chair among three new Treasury NEDs
Chancellor Rachel Reeves says non-exec directors from the world of business will bring "fresh thinking" to HMT
Spending Review 2025 recap: Here's everything you need to know
04 Aug Economics
Spending Review 2025 recap: Here's everything you need to know
A deep dive into the Spending Review 2025 documents to fish out the details that matter to civil servants. Words by Tevye Markson, Jim Dunton, Suzannah Brecknell and Beckie Smith
In conversation with… former Treasury perm sec Lord Terry Burns
30 Jul Economics
In conversation with… former Treasury perm sec Lord Terry Burns
Welsh Government senior civil servant Peter McDonald talks to the former permanent secretary to the Treasury about responding to crises, working with ministers and solving problems. This article first appeared in the Heywood Quarterly
Jeremy Hunt: I had to earn civil servants’ trust after Tom Scholar sacking
17 Jul Economics
Jeremy Hunt: I had to earn civil servants’ trust after Tom Scholar sacking
Jeremy Hunt also speaks about the advice he gave to Wes Streeting and why he's not a fan of "mission-driven" government