Departments need ‘significant’ productivity improvements, OBR chair warns
28 Nov Finance

Departments need ‘significant’ productivity improvements, OBR chair warns

Watchdog “doesn’t know” whether the government’s spending plans are plausible or not
by Jim Dunton
'The chief exec called me his plumber because I fixed things': Reflections on 45 years in the civil service
28 Nov Finance
'The chief exec called me his plumber because I fixed things': Reflections on 45 years in the civil service
Autumn Statement: Unprotected departments face real-terms cuts of 3.4%, IFS warns
23 Nov Finance
Autumn Statement: Unprotected departments face real-terms cuts of 3.4%, IFS warns
HMRC gets £163m ‘capacity boost’ in Autumn Statement
23 Nov Finance
HMRC gets £163m ‘capacity boost’ in Autumn Statement
Recovering £1.1bn in Covid debts will be ‘incredibly hard’, DBT perm sec admits
11 May Finance
Recovering £1.1bn in Covid debts will be ‘incredibly hard’, DBT perm sec admits
“Loosey-goosey” approach to first wave of business grants created a major obstacle to getting cash back, Davies tells MPs
DfE minister admits ‘challenge’ of Spring Budget childcare offer
09 May Finance
DfE minister admits ‘challenge’ of Spring Budget childcare offer
Expansion of 30-hours-a-week entitlement requires renaissance in recruitment, Claire Coutinho tells MPs
Health secretary pushes through NHS pay rise with ministerial direction
09 May Finance
Health secretary pushes through NHS pay rise with ministerial direction
Perm sec Sir Chris Wormald gets ministerial sign-off as pay award breaches approved budget
NICS head unpacks impact of power-vacuum budget cuts
05 May Finance
NICS head unpacks impact of power-vacuum budget cuts
Jayne Brady warns there will be some decisions officials cannot legally make in absence of Northern Ireland Executive
Anger as NI civil servants are left to find 10% budget cuts
03 May Finance
Anger as NI civil servants are left to find 10% budget cuts
Government ignores call for ministerial directions in absence of power-sharing executive
'Negligent' employers not being inspected due to HSE funding cuts, union warns
28 Apr Finance
'Negligent' employers not being inspected due to HSE funding cuts, union warns
Inspection cancellations soar amid "staffing and skills crisis" after 43% real-terms funding cuts
DLUHC ducks MPs’ questions on Treasury-imposed spending crackdown
28 Apr Finance
DLUHC ducks MPs’ questions on Treasury-imposed spending crackdown
Committee chair says response begs questions about government’s commitment to levelling up
Fallout from Scholar and Lovegrove sackings should be a lesson for ministers, Sedwill says
27 Apr Finance
Fallout from Scholar and Lovegrove sackings should be a lesson for ministers, Sedwill says
Truss and Kwarteng's errors are a cautionary tale for future leaders, former cabinet secretary tells peers
DfT perm sec ‘disappointed and dismayed’ at £2.2bn HS2 Euston Station cost hike
25 Apr Finance
DfT perm sec ‘disappointed and dismayed’ at £2.2bn HS2 Euston Station cost hike
Bernadette Kelly tells watchdog MPs near doubling of projected cost for new HS2 terminus came as a “surprise”
‘Maturing’ departments get more control over property spend
17 Apr Finance
‘Maturing’ departments get more control over property spend
Cabinet Office says departments are now "ready" to take more responsibility for their own spending
Civil service unions vow to ramp up strikes after 'insulting' 4.5% pay offer
14 Apr Finance
Civil service unions vow to ramp up strikes after 'insulting' 4.5% pay offer
Sub-inflation offer is dubbed “unconscionable” and out of step with awards agreed with other public sector workers
Plan, record meetings and never overpromise: Lessons from a career in government finance
13 Apr Finance
Plan, record meetings and never overpromise: Lessons from a career in government finance
Former senior civil servant shares ideas, tips and strategies that can help you overcome the obstacles you may face in finance
NICS top brass ‘need ministerial direction’ for tough spending decisions, union says
05 Apr Finance
NICS top brass ‘need ministerial direction’ for tough spending decisions, union says
Accounting officers are being put in an “invidious position” because of looming service cuts, FDA chief says
The people with the purse strings are on the same side as you – here's how to play the government spending game
24 Mar Finance
The people with the purse strings are on the same side as you – here's how to play the government spending game
If you’ve felt that the government spending game is stacked against you trying to do the thing that feels obviously right: it’s not just you
BEIS recovered just 1% of £1.1bn fraud in Covid support loans to small firms
24 Mar Finance
BEIS recovered just 1% of £1.1bn fraud in Covid support loans to small firms
Losses come on top of multi-billion-pound Bounce Back Loans hit, National Audit Office says
Spring Budget defence and childcare boosts 'mean spending cuts elsewhere'
16 Mar Finance
Spring Budget defence and childcare boosts 'mean spending cuts elsewhere'
Departments may have to cut £18bn following Hunt's announcements yesterday, IFS says
DLUHC’s local-audit backlog issues ‘could get worse’, watchdog warns
16 Mar Finance
DLUHC’s local-audit backlog issues ‘could get worse’, watchdog warns
MPs are told that dealing with delayed local-council accounts could be hampered by NHS changes
Spring Budget: Government launches new savings tracker amid departmental spending squeeze
15 Mar Finance
Spring Budget: Government launches new savings tracker amid departmental spending squeeze
IFS warns defence and childcare boosts could mean “very tough time for other spending areas”
High Court rejects challenge to Civil Service Pension Scheme costs
15 Mar Finance
High Court rejects challenge to Civil Service Pension Scheme costs
Judge sides with ministers over failure to reduce member contributions because of botched reforms
Integrated Review ‘refresh’ finds extra £5bn for MoD
14 Mar Finance
Integrated Review ‘refresh’ finds extra £5bn for MoD
Sunak sets new ‘aspiration’ for UK to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence amid concerns over Russia and China
Hunt urged to 'think twice' about closing Office of Tax Simplification
14 Mar Finance
Hunt urged to 'think twice' about closing Office of Tax Simplification
MPs says closure is "unnecessary", pointing to OTS claim that it "achieves far more than it costs"
HS2 pause will just ramp up costs, warns Infrastructure Commission chair
13 Mar Finance
HS2 pause will just ramp up costs, warns Infrastructure Commission chair
John Armitt’s comments come as Department for Transport announces delivery of section of high-speed line will be pushed back by two years
Stalemate as DfE refuses to negotiate with teachers' unions unless strikes called off
09 Mar Finance
Stalemate as DfE refuses to negotiate with teachers' unions unless strikes called off
But perm sec Susan Acland-Hood said the department is willing to renegotiate this year's pay offer
Cabinet Office targets £1bn-a-year savings through new efficiency pilot
07 Mar Finance
Cabinet Office targets £1bn-a-year savings through new efficiency pilot
Department will trial project which aims to modernise, automate and digitise government processes