Finance

FCO wants a greater share of the UK aid budget and a stronger role leading foreign policy, officials tell MPs

New analysis by the IPPR think tank reveals that a public sector pay rise in line with inflation would return £2.5bn to public coffers

Post-Brexit Britain “could lose its research edge” unless departments step up, say public spending watchdogs

Sinn Féin and DUP fail to reach power-sharing deal but Northern Ireland secretary insists new legislation does not amount to direct rule

Former Post Office and MoJ man Neil Hayward replaces Peter Gregory at DfT firm

Steve Lamey will be succeeded on an interim basis by outgoing ESFA chief Peter Lauener

PCS union survey finds 99% of members want government to scrap public sector pay cap

DWP, HMRC, DCMS and Cabinet Office staff win 2017 Reimagine Challenge for joined-up approach to aiding poor people in financial crisis

Public Accounts Committee to question tax officials today while union calls for halt of office closures plan 

Reform think tank argues for greater devolution of powers to buy healthcare, employment, skills and offender management services

Union warns of strike potential over Courts and Tribunal Service’s hubs proposals

Foreign Office insists higher wage bill reflects an increase in staff numbers as well as the impact of currency fluctuation

Sir Chris Wormald told by PAC chair to provide examples of best practice to inform Treasury’s decision to link pay cap rises to productivity 

Bernadette Kelly asked by MPs to look into “possibility of fraud” over £1.7m made in unauthorised redundancy payments

Tax collection agency says that work to tackle avoidance and evasion is paying off to tune of £12bn a year

Political climate makes further departmental spending cuts or higher taxes unlikely, report argues

National Audit Office warns shortage of key commercial and cost assurance experts could jeopardise £1.7bn savings target from non-competitive contracts

Steve Allen to leave government-owned company building new rail link after auditors slam unauthorised redundancy payments

Tax authority announces recruitment for top tax post will be limited to existing civil servants

GMB union accuses Treasury of “cover up” after data was not released until threat to refer department to Information Commissioner’s Office 

Protest set to cover Sheffield branch’s final three weeks

Sinn Féin and DUP given two weeks to agree new power-sharing deal or face Westminster intervention on budget

Geoffrey Lyons reviews two books on debt by men who had key roles following the financial crisis