Economics

New combined authority chiefs could improve services and boost local economies if offered new menu of powers, says think tank

Local Government Association asks all parties to commit to further devo rollout in their election manifestos

Shift in responsibility during staff reshuffle creates questions over civil service reform, says IfG

MPs question need for tax collection agency’s shift to city centre bases amid digital services drive

Review suggests priorities and spending decisions should be “more explicitly informed” by the return they provide on investment

Commons Procedure Committee demands beefed-up model for examining government's Main Supply Estimates

Government Legal Department director targets multi-million pound efficiencies

Public Accounts Committee report on outsourced tax credits debacle says agency lacked the commercial capacity for the payment-by-results deal

Public Accounts Committee calls for forensic audit of spending at UK Trade & Investment after concluding contractor took advantage of arm’s-length body

Newport campus part of £17m investment in new technology and data sources

Centralised purchasing body still needs to develop full business case, according to committee

Watchdog warns demands of service pressures, major projects and Brexit are outpacing Whitehall’s capacity to deliver at a time of staffing restrictions and spending restraint