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
UK’s capacity to absorb economic shocks is shrinking, OBR chair warns
15 Jul Finance
UK’s capacity to absorb economic shocks is shrinking, OBR chair warns
Treasury hikes threshold for when new salaries require senior minister's approval
15 Jul Finance
Treasury hikes threshold for when new salaries require senior minister's approval
New business-case rules for major projects come into force
14 Jul Finance
New business-case rules for major projects come into force
DHSC rapped for sharing 'misleading' graph on nurses' wage rise
30 Nov 2022 Finance
DHSC rapped for sharing 'misleading' graph on nurses' wage rise
Tweet shared after nurses' strike announced remains up despite warning it could harm public confidence
NAO sounds alarm as funding shortfalls threaten departmental shared-services drive
30 Nov 2022 Finance
NAO sounds alarm as funding shortfalls threaten departmental shared-services drive
Cabinet Office “doesn’t know how much has been spent or what benefits to expect”, watchdog warns
Raab condemns public sector strikes and says pay hikes would 'undercut the poorest'
23 Nov 2022 Finance
Raab condemns public sector strikes and says pay hikes would 'undercut the poorest'
Striking is not the “right thing to do now”, Raab says as civil servants gear up for industrial action
Sunak 'should consider enabling OBR to probe departmental spending plans'
22 Nov 2022 Finance
Sunak 'should consider enabling OBR to probe departmental spending plans'
Think tank’s growth proposals urge PM to consider Vaccine Taskforce-inspired interventions for key goals
MPs 'fear Home Office has blank cheque' to use aid money for refugee services Exclusive
18 Nov 2022 Finance
MPs 'fear Home Office has blank cheque' to use aid money for refugee services
Department has obstructed enquiries about use of ODA to support refugees, MPs say
Autumn Statement: IFS flags renewed pressure on civil service jobs
18 Nov 2022 Finance
Autumn Statement: IFS flags renewed pressure on civil service jobs
Institute for Fiscal Studies warns that government will have to pick between low pay awards, job cuts or worse services
Autumn Statement: Hunt under fire for latest delay to social-care reform
18 Nov 2022 Finance
Autumn Statement: Hunt under fire for latest delay to social-care reform
Chancellor says move will pay for £4.7bn services boost; care-cap architect dubs it “inhumane”
Autumn Statement: Pay is elephant in room for ‘protected’ departmental budgets
18 Nov 2022 Finance
Autumn Statement: Pay is elephant in room for ‘protected’ departmental budgets
IFS warns civil service will face biggest pressures after 2024-25 under 1% growth plan
UKHSA pushes through pay offer unions rejected, offering £350 'recognition payment' Exclusive
18 Nov 2022 Finance
UKHSA pushes through pay offer unions rejected, offering £350 'recognition payment'
Pay decision ‘disappointing’ and could lead to workforce shortage, union warns
DWP and HMRC get cash boost for 6,000 new staff to tackle fraud, error and tax dodging
17 Nov 2022 Finance
DWP and HMRC get cash boost for 6,000 new staff to tackle fraud, error and tax dodging
Autumn Statement brings £300m for recruitment drive – but departments will be told to find savings elsewhere
Autumn Statement: Hunt ‘protects’ civil service budgets – but not from inflation
17 Nov 2022 Finance
Autumn Statement: Hunt ‘protects’ civil service budgets – but not from inflation
Savings review will “reprioritise spending” away from “lower value” work, while automation drive will be accelerated
HMRC’s new complaints-management system will be ‘ready in weeks’
11 Nov 2022 Finance
HMRC’s new complaints-management system will be ‘ready in weeks’
Delayed CHART project on course for January delivery, tax-collection agency says
NAO hikes pay to stem snowballing staff turnover
03 Nov 2022 Finance
NAO hikes pay to stem snowballing staff turnover
But watchdog admits it cannot compete with 8-10% rises being offered by “big four” accountancy firms
Civil service job-cuts target scrapped but 2% pay cap looms
01 Nov 2022 Finance
Civil service job-cuts target scrapped but 2% pay cap looms
Fast Stream recruitment to resume alongside U-turn on Johnson-era plans to axe 91,000 jobs
Civil servants warned Kwarteng about mini-budget fallout, MPs told
27 Oct 2022 Finance
Civil servants warned Kwarteng about mini-budget fallout, MPs told
Debt Management Office chief says Treasury was told disastrous £45bn tax-cuts plan would push up borrowing
Energy relief schemes put ‘very large’ amount of public money at risk, BEIS perm sec warns
26 Oct 2022 Finance
Energy relief schemes put ‘very large’ amount of public money at risk, BEIS perm sec warns
Sarah Munby raises concerns over fraud and value for money in requests for ministerial directions
Sunak warns of ‘difficult decisions’ in first words as PM
25 Oct 2022 Finance
Sunak warns of ‘difficult decisions’ in first words as PM
Downing Street speech acknowledges Truss and Kwarteng “mistakes” but insists 2019 general-election manifesto is a valid mandate
Unlike the farce at Westminster, public sector cuts are no joke
21 Oct 2022 Finance
Unlike the farce at Westminster, public sector cuts are no joke
Jeremy Hunt has been dealt a difficult hand. But with no PM, it's hard to see what authority the chancellor has to make these serious decisions
Jeremy Hunt denies return to austerity as spending cuts loom
18 Oct 2022 Finance
Jeremy Hunt denies return to austerity as spending cuts loom
Chancellor says "eye-watering" decisions ahead as he is accused of unveiling "austerity season two"
Treasury warns of new Whole of Government Accounts delays
18 Oct 2022 Finance
Treasury warns of new Whole of Government Accounts delays
Two-thirds of public bodies miss submission deadline as fresh IT woes emerge with OSCAR II database
Departments brace for cuts as Hunt scraps tax measures
17 Oct 2022 Finance
Departments brace for cuts as Hunt scraps tax measures
Chancellor tears apart 'mini-budget' and tells departments to find "efficiency savings"
No meaningful fat to cut from public service budgets, report warns
17 Oct 2022 Finance
No meaningful fat to cut from public service budgets, report warns
Performance tracker slams “lost decade for public services” amid predicted department budget cuts
Liz Truss has promised to 'grow the pie'. But which pie?
17 Oct 2022 Finance
Liz Truss has promised to 'grow the pie'. But which pie?
The government has placed growth at the centre of its plans, but what sort of growth? And who really creates value and wealth? Professor Colin Talbot explores the often-neglected parts of our economy to explain why increasing value is not just about growing GDP
HMRC 'falling short' on efforts to recoup billions of Covid furlough fraud
14 Oct 2022 Finance
HMRC 'falling short' on efforts to recoup billions of Covid furlough fraud
Spending watchdog urges government to allocate sufficient resources to tackle fraud and error