HS2 reset: Lovegrove report unpacks lessons for civil service
20 May Finance

HS2 reset: Lovegrove report unpacks lessons for civil service

Recommendations include more realistic salaries for officials working on major projects and a culture shift away from “automatically” appointing career civil servant as SRO
by Jim Dunton
DSIT analysis director becomes joint head of Government Economic Service
29 Jun Finance
DSIT analysis director becomes joint head of Government Economic Service
Imperial College professor nominated by Reeves as next OBR chair
24 Jun Finance
Imperial College professor nominated by Reeves as next OBR chair
NAO lauds Government Finance Function for ‘strong foundations’ with 2030 strategy
19 Jun Finance
NAO lauds Government Finance Function for ‘strong foundations’ with 2030 strategy
NAO refuses to sign off Whole of Government Accounts for third year running
18 Jun Finance
NAO refuses to sign off Whole of Government Accounts for third year running
Public spending watchdog acknowledges progress with missing data from English local authorities but says just 5% submitted audited accounts on time
Treasury dubs size of Northern Ireland’s public sector ‘a significant budgetary challenge’
03 Jun Finance
Treasury dubs size of Northern Ireland’s public sector ‘a significant budgetary challenge’
Open Book Review says proportionally bigger headcount and pay-parity deals are fuelling pressure
NS&I offers up to £220k for next chief executive
02 Jun Finance
NS&I offers up to £220k for next chief executive
Under-fire state-owned bank seeks successor to recently appointed interim boss Jim Harra
MPs urge government to probe root causes of billions in ‘wasted’ public funds
27 May Finance
MPs urge government to probe root causes of billions in ‘wasted’ public funds
Losses peaked at £14bn in 2023-24 following the axing of HS2’s northern leg
Senior civil servants report significant financial pressures
19 May Finance
Senior civil servants report significant financial pressures
Survey: 75% of top bosses say the squeeze is “substantial” or worse, and one-in-five describe morale and staff wellbeing as the main casualty
Treasury publishes ‘significantly revised’ Magenta Book
18 May Finance
Treasury publishes ‘significantly revised’ Magenta Book
Cross-department Evaluation Task Force describes updated guidance as “major milestone” for evidence-based policymaking
Civil Service Pensions Taskforce head Angela MacDonald to retire
08 May Finance
Civil Service Pensions Taskforce head Angela MacDonald to retire
Cabinet Office will appoint an operational director to serve as a permanent successor but HMRC says it has “no plans” for a new second perm sec
Scrap 60% office mandate, union demands amid rising living costs
27 Mar Finance
Scrap 60% office mandate, union demands amid rising living costs
PCS says scrapping the civil service-wide hybrid working policy will reduce costs for both civil servants and departments
Ex-HMRC boss Harra drafted in to run NS&I
26 Mar Finance
Ex-HMRC boss Harra drafted in to run NS&I
Shakeup comes as state-owned bank admits that up to £476m may not have been paid to the families of customers who died
Public interest test 'will end outsourcing by default' of government contracts
26 Mar Finance
Public interest test 'will end outsourcing by default' of government contracts
Government departments will now have to conduct public interest tests on whether £1m-plus outsourced service contracts can be delivered more effectively in house
FCDO sets out detail on overseas aid cuts
20 Mar Finance
FCDO sets out detail on overseas aid cuts
Changes “make the whole world more vulnerable”, International Development Committee chair warns
Departments’ use of banking-style anti-fraud checks set for review
13 Mar Finance
Departments’ use of banking-style anti-fraud checks set for review
HM Treasury tells MPs “cross-government stocktake” will explore which organisations seek identity validation for payments and whether new guidance is needed