Economics

Business secretary tells MPs that axing Department for Business, Innovation and Skills would be a "step backwards". But he asks: "Do we need 80 locations?"

Institute for Fiscal Studies gives its assessment ahead of the Spending Review – and warns easier efficiency savings have already been "identified and delivered"

Exclusive: HMRC staff to find out about new network of more specialised regional centres in November as tax authority seeks cut in its number of offices

Former head of the civil service asked by Labour to "review the operation of the Treasury itself" – as shadow chancellor John McDonnell signals major shift in the opposition's economic policy

Workforce shrinks by 8,000 posts – with GovCos and privatisations accounting for much of the change

Robert Chote – reappointed as chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility watchdog – says he is "relaxed" about Treasury suggesting changes to its independent forecasts

Select committee to question OBR's Robert Chote after e-mails show Treasury seeks changes to wording of draft forecast

Crown Commercial Service promises to boost role of smaller firms as provision of travel and conference booking for officials is split into four contracts

Former head of the civil service tells chancellor at Lords committee hearing that he believes argument for running a surplus is a "smokescreen" for a smaller state

Public and Commercial Services union makes "strong representations" to tax authority about "timescale and process" of 90-day talks, which department says may result in compulsory redundancies

Exclusive: Tax authority says it will aim to "avoid the need for compulsory redundancies" when 90-day process opens next week

Civil service chief executive talks up Single Departmental Plans, saying they will offer "single, clear roadmap" for managing resources ahead of the Spending Review

Treasury says spending review - set for November 25 - will be a chance to "review the role of government"

Push for £20bn of departmental cuts begins today - with spending review conclusions to be set out on November 25

Annual report from the Civil Service Commission says senior civil service pay curbs could lead to loss of "some of the most talented" officials

Department for Work and Pensions accounts qualified again as NAO says fraud and error in the benefits system "remains unacceptably high"

Justice secretary stresses that departmental non-execs – designed to sharpen outside scrutiny of Whitehall – are ministerial appointments, after overseeing shake-up of MoJ board

Waheed Nazir – director of planning and regeneration and chief planning officer at Birmingham City Council​ – gives an outside perspective of the civil service, and says Whitehall is improving the way it works with local partners

Former head of the government finance profession handed CIPFA medal for "outstanding" public service

Chancellor uses first Conservative-only Budget to announce four more years of public sector pay restraint

Follow all the action as chancellor George Osborne delivers his latest Budget

Ahead of Wednesday's budget, here's CSW's round-up of the civil service in the news, including the latest on possible job cuts, and a memo from the HMRC's Lin Homer on the latest "disappointing" demand for new savings

BIS perm sec Martin Donnelly requests rare "letter of direction" from minister Sajid Javid after raising value-for-money concerns over plan to gift extra shares to Royal Mail staff

Transport and defence departments to bear the brunt of extra cuts this year