Treasury seeks technical efficiencies of ‘at least 1% a year’ from departments
28 Apr Finance

Treasury seeks technical efficiencies of ‘at least 1% a year’ from departments

Perm sec tells MPs “stretching and realistic” Spending Review targets are being worked up with the Office for Value for Money
by Jim Dunton
Treasury working with departments to build integrated finance system
24 Jun Finance
Treasury working with departments to build integrated finance system
SR25: HMRC gets £1.7bn for big increase in compliance and debt management staff
12 Jun Finance
SR25: HMRC gets £1.7bn for big increase in compliance and debt management staff
‘Radically’ shorter Green Book will support place-based budgeting and transformational change
11 Jun Finance
‘Radically’ shorter Green Book will support place-based budgeting and transformational change
OBR chief in line for another five-year term
02 Jun Finance
OBR chief in line for another five-year term
Chancellor Rachel Reeves backs Richard Hughes to serve as watchdog chair until 2030
UK aid is ten times more scrutinised than other government spending
12 May Finance
UK aid is ten times more scrutinised than other government spending
While aid-spending agencies make up only 1.3% of UK government spending, they are the subject of 12.5% of all government evaluations
‘Lessons being learned’ over GPA spending-control failings, MPs told
01 May Finance
‘Lessons being learned’ over GPA spending-control failings, MPs told
Cabinet Office perm sec Cat Little says checks and balances failed to expand at same pace as rest of agency
Departments to match-fund central voluntary redundancy pot
15 Apr Finance
Departments to match-fund central voluntary redundancy pot
Departments will bid for the funds and match the amount they receive
Scottish first minister calls on Reeves to scrap fiscal rules
15 Apr Finance
Scottish first minister calls on Reeves to scrap fiscal rules
John Swinney says chancellor should abandon “economic straitjacket” following Donald Trump's introduction of tariffs
HMRC rejects recommendations to improve customer service performance
07 Apr Finance
HMRC rejects recommendations to improve customer service performance
Tax agency reiterates rebuttal of committee’s claims it doesn't give enough consideration to the needs of service users
Northern Ireland needs multi-year funding settlements, MPs say
07 Apr Finance
Northern Ireland needs multi-year funding settlements, MPs say
Longer-term funding is needed to enable departments to “plan meaningful changes”, Northern Ireland Affairs Committee says
'Inaccurate': DCMS perm sec questions criticism of Covid loans accountability 'gap'
02 Apr Finance
'Inaccurate': DCMS perm sec questions criticism of Covid loans accountability 'gap'
Susannah Storey also rejects claim that the department is “overly optimistic” about recouping funds
Automating ‘routine tasks’ could save £36bn a year, DSIT minister says
02 Apr Finance
Automating ‘routine tasks’ could save £36bn a year, DSIT minister says
Maggie Jones tells peers a further £10bn in efficiencies will come from migrating services online and strengthening digital compliance
Home Office pledges ‘proper due diligence’ for new asylum sites
01 Apr Finance
Home Office pledges ‘proper due diligence’ for new asylum sites
Former perm sec Matthew Rycroft sets out checks and balances introduced after “dysfunctional” culture that wasted millions of pounds
Treasury makes changes to aid spending rules
31 Mar Finance
Treasury makes changes to aid spending rules
International Development network Bond calls changes to ODA a "stealth cut"
Spring Statement: HMRC gets £180m to help close tax gap
26 Mar Finance
Spring Statement: HMRC gets £180m to help close tax gap
Funding includes £100m to hire 500 additional compliance officers from next month
New £3.25bn transformation fund to cover voluntary exits and digital reform
26 Mar Finance
New £3.25bn transformation fund to cover voluntary exits and digital reform
Reeves announces transformation fund at Spring Statement to make government "leaner, more productive and more efficient"
MPs ask government to rethink rejection of ‘essential’ Horizon scheme changes
25 Mar Finance
MPs ask government to rethink rejection of ‘essential’ Horizon scheme changes
Business and Trade Committee says government's rejection of its call to transfer administration of Horizon compensation scheme to DBT is a "mistake"
Reeves: 10,000 civil service jobs to go in admin cost-cutting drive
24 Mar Finance
Reeves: 10,000 civil service jobs to go in admin cost-cutting drive
Civil service unions call for honesty about impact of cuts on public services
Treasury sets out plans for overhaul of spending and performance data
21 Mar Finance
Treasury sets out plans for overhaul of spending and performance data
Ministers will be able to access live data showing departmental delivery and financial performance at programme and project level
Kendall targets £5bn annual savings in welfare shakeup
19 Mar Finance
Kendall targets £5bn annual savings in welfare shakeup
DWP will develop a new approach to safeguarding as part of back-to-work drive
Plan to overhaul 'overly complex' digital funding models promises 'paradigm shift'
13 Mar Finance
Plan to overhaul 'overly complex' digital funding models promises 'paradigm shift'
After a review that revealed delays and inefficiencies, government will trial a quartet of mechanisms for staged, portfolio and risk-based funding methods
HMRC set to deliver £700m in efficiency savings this year
06 Mar Finance
HMRC set to deliver £700m in efficiency savings this year
In final PAC appearance, Jim Harra says customer services is "big area" where more efficiency savings can be found
Spending Review will upgrade ageing tech and fund AI – Vallance
24 Feb Finance
Spending Review will upgrade ageing tech and fund AI – Vallance
Minister and ex-chief scientist says Reeves's first Spending Review will enable support for deployment of new tech
Ex-cabinet minister recounts ‘damaging’ Treasury exceptionalism
21 Feb Finance
Ex-cabinet minister recounts ‘damaging’ Treasury exceptionalism
John Denham describes department as “a law unto itself” that would do destructive things to other parts of government without consultation
Ministers mull creating 'Commercial Innovation Hub' for departments
14 Feb Finance
Ministers mull creating 'Commercial Innovation Hub' for departments
National Public Procurement Strategy looks to better align spending with government's five missions
Don't blame civil servants for Northern Ireland overspend, union says
12 Feb Finance
Don't blame civil servants for Northern Ireland overspend, union says
Politicians urged not to "scapegoat" civil servants after MLA blasts "scale of financial mismanagement" in the NICS
Home Office spent nearly £100m on failed asylum accommodation
05 Feb Finance
Home Office spent nearly £100m on failed asylum accommodation
Report into acquisition of HMP Northeye site urges Home Office to address its "dysfunctional" culture around commercial decisions