'Scrape the barnacles from the hull': Ex-chief of defence staff makes 'last throw of the dice' for radical change in MoD
16 Sep Finance

'Scrape the barnacles from the hull': Ex-chief of defence staff makes 'last throw of the dice' for radical change in MoD

MoD must be prepared to “risk public money so as to be more effective and go faster", Admiral Radakin says
by Suzannah Brecknell
DHSC second perm sec to become envoy for northern growth
30 Oct Finance
DHSC second perm sec to become envoy for northern growth
HMRC error means public sector borrowing was overestimated by £3bn
09 Oct Finance
HMRC error means public sector borrowing was overestimated by £3bn
DHSC second perm sec appointed as National Wealth Fund NED
02 Oct Finance
DHSC second perm sec appointed as National Wealth Fund NED
Pandemic could make HMRC’s hubs plan ‘woefully out of date’, MPs warn
21 Jan 2021 Finance
Pandemic could make HMRC’s hubs plan ‘woefully out of date’, MPs warn
Report also says department has spent too much of its IT budget patching up legacy systems rather than modernising them
Spending watchdog warns of pressures piling up for 'already stretched' MoJ
08 Jan 2021 Finance
Spending watchdog warns of pressures piling up for 'already stretched' MoJ
Snapshot report contrasts shortage of prison places with boosted sentencing projections and delayed court hearings
‘There was exceptional teamwork and rigour’: Head of the government finance function Cat Little reflects on her first Spending Review in 2020
23 Dec 2020 Finance
‘There was exceptional teamwork and rigour’: Head of the government finance function Cat Little reflects on her first Spending Review in 2020
2020 was a year unlike any other, with the coronavirus pandemic upending the work of government and changing how we live our daily lives. Senior figures from across the civil service tell us how the unprecedented 12 months affected them, and look ahead to 2021
Cabinet Office ‘doesn’t have the data’ to fix civil service skills gaps
11 Dec 2020 Finance
Cabinet Office ‘doesn’t have the data’ to fix civil service skills gaps
MPs say crisis has been exacerbated by short-termism, pay restrictions and significant salary disparities between departments
Cabinet Office ‘scales back’ Crown Consultancy vision post-Cummings
10 Dec 2020 Finance
Cabinet Office ‘scales back’ Crown Consultancy vision post-Cummings
Service now expected to focus on giving advice about consultancy spending, following departure of PM’s chief adviser
HMRC and Home Office the big winners as spending review commits £600m to ‘fix outdated government IT’
30 Nov 2020 Finance
HMRC and Home Office the big winners as spending review commits £600m to ‘fix outdated government IT’
Document also outlines projection of extra £700m revenue from digital taxation regime
Vacancy crisis sees NICS agency staff spending hit £46m a year
27 Nov 2020 Finance
Vacancy crisis sees NICS agency staff spending hit £46m a year
Audit Office director says figure represents a 155% increase over the past two years
Dropping 0.7% aid-spending commitment 'fundamentally wrong', government told
27 Nov 2020 Finance
Dropping 0.7% aid-spending commitment 'fundamentally wrong', government told
"Temporary" ODA cut has sparked a ministerial resignation, while a union warns it could affect jobs
Spending Review 2020: Do outcomes for departments point to a new way of measuring performance?
27 Nov 2020 Finance
Spending Review 2020: Do outcomes for departments point to a new way of measuring performance?
New frameworks and metrics to judge how well departments work could form the building blocks of a reformed approach to managing public spending, but more detail is needed, says Martin Wheatley
Priorities for every department and new FCDO and Treasury hubs: what the Spending Review means for the civil service
25 Nov 2020 Finance
Priorities for every department and new FCDO and Treasury hubs: what the Spending Review means for the civil service
What are your department’s new priorities?
DWP jobs boost confirmed in Spending Review
25 Nov 2020 Finance
DWP jobs boost confirmed in Spending Review
Rishi Sunak provides funds to double number of work coaches in £1.4bn coronavirus support uplift
Civil service braces for new pay woe in Spending Review
24 Nov 2020 Finance
Civil service braces for new pay woe in Spending Review
Downing Street briefs that prime minister opposes planned £3k rise for MPs in light of mooted public-sector freeze
Probation inspector Justin Russell on coronavirus, Transforming Rehabilitation and the Spending Review
20 Nov 2020 Finance
Probation inspector Justin Russell on coronavirus, Transforming Rehabilitation and the Spending Review
After years of funding cuts and the looming renationalisation of outsourced probation services, Russell calls for extra funding to be “baked into the baseline” for the Spending Review
Four-year MoD settlement ‘not decided in a vacuum’, insists Treasury perm sec
20 Nov 2020 Finance
Four-year MoD settlement ‘not decided in a vacuum’, insists Treasury perm sec
Tom Scholar tells MPs preparation work for delayed integrated review of defence, security and foreign affairs fed into multi-year funding boost
MoD gets multi-year cash deal ahead of spending review
19 Nov 2020 Finance
MoD gets multi-year cash deal ahead of spending review
Funding plan agreed before 2021 publication of full integrated review of foreign, defence and security policy
FDA calls on Sunak to deal with CPS ‘workload crisis’ in Spending Review
11 Nov 2020 Finance
FDA calls on Sunak to deal with CPS ‘workload crisis’ in Spending Review
Union sends petition to chancellor calling for resources to deal with backlog of 45,000 cases
HMRC 'could have done more' to prevent furlough fraud, NAO says
26 Oct 2020 Finance
HMRC 'could have done more' to prevent furlough fraud, NAO says
Watchdog also urges tax agency to ensure fewer people miss out on support under future schemes
Comprehensive Spending Review halted as Treasury prioritises certainty – and reiterates pay restraint warning
21 Oct 2020 Finance
Comprehensive Spending Review halted as Treasury prioritises certainty – and reiterates pay restraint warning
Sunak says now is not the time for a full review
Treasury perm sec Scholar tight-lipped on impact analysis for Covid-19 tiers
21 Oct 2020 Finance
Treasury perm sec Scholar tight-lipped on impact analysis for Covid-19 tiers
Treasury perm sec grilled by MPs demanding figures for effect on businesses of new localised restrictions
Former Treasury spending DG appointed Cabinet Office second perm sec
09 Oct 2020 Finance
Former Treasury spending DG appointed Cabinet Office second perm sec
James Bowler moves from MoJ, where he led on policy, communications and analysis of the justice system
Ministers admit it’s too early to know cost of merging FCO and DfID
05 Oct 2020 Finance
Ministers admit it’s too early to know cost of merging FCO and DfID
Committee chair “astonished” government failed to consult stakeholders before announcing creation of FCDO
IFS calls for another one-year Spending Review as it warns of sharp choices ahead
29 Sep 2020 Finance
IFS calls for another one-year Spending Review as it warns of sharp choices ahead
Think tank says previous government spending forecasts have been rendered ‘obsolete’ by coronavirus
Civil Service Fast Stream kicks off recruitment round for over 800 posts
25 Sep 2020 Finance
Civil Service Fast Stream kicks off recruitment round for over 800 posts
Selection of available jobs includes 244 roles for generalist officials
NAO to probe transparency of government procurement during pandemic
21 Sep 2020 Finance
NAO to probe transparency of government procurement during pandemic
Auditor general says spending watchdog will produce ‘detailed piece of work’