Economics

Changes to so-called IR35 rules for “off-payroll” workers boost coffers as ministers mull roll-out to private firms 

Department accused of lacking cost control as affordability gap opens up in 10-year programme

Dave Penman tells union conference conspiracy claims from both ends of political spectrum are a threat to the fabric of Whitehall

MPs urge Defra to admit it has an unmanageable workload and accuse DIT of lacking the capacity to do new trade deals

Report by former health minister comes as Jeremy Hunt’s call for a long-term settlement for the NHS gains traction

Treasury Committee chair seeks assurances on tax agency’s “approach to international cooperation in the fight against economic crime”

Permanent secretary Tom Scholar outlines tests done by department to ensure financial settlement figure is robust

MPs criticise department for not knowing where to spend £7bn pump-priming cashpot

Jon Thompson updates MPs on Customs Declaration Services programme and decisions to scrap some work in favour of Brexit projects

Union urges departmental leaders to lobby Treasury on pay demand, as other public sector leaders have

Think-tank says business rates retention schemes will reduce central government’s financial flexibility and may not provide valuable insight

Perm sec Antonia Romeo argues delaying work until the department has statutory powers would put Brexit readiness at risk, in the third Whitehall direction for post-EU spending

Question mark over £5bn 2020 target as 2016-17 sales bring in just £601m

CSW crunch of transparency figures shows rollercoaster pay differentials at government-owned companies

Some 2,000 staff to move to Salford in 2022, with 2,500 more to follow in 2027

Public Accounts Committee tells ministry to up its game on keeping track of schools operators at risk of going broke

David Sterling tells inquiry his workforce cannot be expected to deliver beyond their resources and skills sets as power vacuum continues

PAC chair questions whether Community Rehabilitation Companies in flagship reform will be able to deliver the promised benefits

Independent report says Northamptonshire has irreparably dysfunctional organisational structure and should be split up

Chancellor says if public finance improvement continues he could increase public spending from 2020

Think tank says chancellor will trumpet lower annual borrowing but report a much bigger deficit than predicted two years ago

Union’s national executive calls for pan-Whitehall dialogue on ending pay cap with threat of national ballot on the strike action

Government “must not be naïve enough to assume that a verbal agreement to maintain the status quo constitutes a watertight guarantee” says select committee

Civil service unions urge politicians to give workers same rights to fair pay that they enjoy