Team Truss’s top three themes already twisted into knots
28 Sep Finance

Team Truss’s top three themes already twisted into knots

The NHS, the energy crisis and the economy were would-be PM Truss's top priorities. But the Plan for Patients is underwhelming
by Andy Cowper
Civil service unions urge Truss to rule out austerity drive
30 Sep Finance
Civil service unions urge Truss to rule out austerity drive
Departments told to find new efficiencies AND work up growth proposals
29 Sep Finance
Departments told to find new efficiencies AND work up growth proposals
Mini-budget fallout has wrecked spending plans, says ex-Treasury chief
27 Sep Finance
Mini-budget fallout has wrecked spending plans, says ex-Treasury chief
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
28 Jan Finance
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
NHS England chief rapped for failure to publish ministerial direction letter on time
Tension grows between Treasury and No.10 over blame for pandemic fraud
27 Jan Finance
Tension grows between Treasury and No.10 over blame for pandemic fraud
Chancellor denies "ignoring" billions in fraud after minister quits over failure to tackle the problem
Study on ‘Boris bridge’ to link Scotland and Northern Ireland cost £900k
21 Jan Finance
Study on ‘Boris bridge’ to link Scotland and Northern Ireland cost £900k
Report carried out at Boris Johnson's request showed the bill for a fixed link would be "impossible to justify"
HMRC expects to recoup only a quarter of £6bn lost to Covid fraud and error
18 Jan Finance
HMRC expects to recoup only a quarter of £6bn lost to Covid fraud and error
Department revises down estimate of taxpayers’ money it could get back by March 2023
Places with high homelessness rates not receiving enough levelling up funding, think tank warns
14 Jan Finance
Places with high homelessness rates not receiving enough levelling up funding, think tank warns
Fund places too much emphasis on physical infrastructure and too little on social issues, report argues
MPs voice concerns over Javid’s £1bn private hospitals ministerial direction
13 Jan Finance
MPs voice concerns over Javid’s £1bn private hospitals ministerial direction
Health secretary signs off on £90m-a-month plans to put sector on standby to provide backup for NHS services
DLUHC budget is ‘backstop’ for Gove’s £4bn cladding package
11 Jan Finance
DLUHC budget is ‘backstop’ for Gove’s £4bn cladding package
Perm sec seeks ministerial direction over £27m funding request for post-Grenfell fire alarms
'The last couple of years have had a science fiction feel': Gareth Davies on the NAO's Covid scrutiny and trials of remote work
03 Jan Finance
'The last couple of years have had a science fiction feel': Gareth Davies on the NAO's Covid scrutiny and trials of remote work
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The National Audit Office boss tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid while pushing ahead with new challenges
Green savings bonds, going digital and a new business model: Ian Ackerley on NS&I's year of change
29 Dec 2021 Finance
Green savings bonds, going digital and a new business model: Ian Ackerley on NS&I's year of change
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The savings bank chief tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid as well as new challenges
Jim Harra: ‘Balancing HMRC’s priorities in 2021 felt like a high wire act’
29 Dec 2021 Finance
Jim Harra: ‘Balancing HMRC’s priorities in 2021 felt like a high wire act’
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The HMRC chief exec tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid as well as new challenges
A family reunion in Spain and a Spending Review – Treasury public spending chief Cat Little’s 2021 highlights
28 Dec 2021 Finance
A family reunion in Spain and a Spending Review – Treasury public spending chief Cat Little’s 2021 highlights
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The Treasury's director general of public spending tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid while pushing ahead with new challenges
Sacked DfE perm sec Slater got £278k 'loss of office' payment
17 Dec 2021 Finance
Sacked DfE perm sec Slater got £278k 'loss of office' payment
Department's annual accounts detail compensation deal after Jonathan Slater was sacrificed over exams fiasco
Ministers mistake cuts for ‘efficiency’, MPs warn
06 Dec 2021 Finance
Ministers mistake cuts for ‘efficiency’, MPs warn
Funding boost for departmental capability and capacity might be needed to save money long term, PAC says
Anti-fraud checks on Covid loans 'inadequate', watchdog finds
03 Dec 2021 Finance
Anti-fraud checks on Covid loans 'inadequate', watchdog finds
Most measures were introduced "too late" to stop fraud, with focus on prevention
Civil service pay rises ‘will retain broad parity with the private sector’, minister says
30 Nov 2021 Finance
Civil service pay rises ‘will retain broad parity with the private sector’, minister says
Paymaster general’s comments come as MPs hear multiple accounts of poverty pay levels among DWP officials
MPs express 'real concerns' over social care costing changes
24 Nov 2021 Finance
MPs express 'real concerns' over social care costing changes
Treasury Committee urges government to publish a full impact assessment "as soon as possible"
'Miles away from conveying the necessary radicalism': Priority outcomes one year on
22 Nov 2021 Finance
'Miles away from conveying the necessary radicalism': Priority outcomes one year on
Martin Wheatley asks: how seriously should we take the Treasury’s renewed interest in what public spending achieves?
With the healthcare system on its knees, 'The Saj' talks about making plans
19 Nov 2021 Finance
With the healthcare system on its knees, 'The Saj' talks about making plans
Andy Cowper reviews the last month of health and social care news
Budget 2021: What we know, and what we don't
18 Nov 2021 Finance
Budget 2021: What we know, and what we don't
As the dust settles on the first multi-year spending review since 2015, CSW explores the known knowns and the known unknowns
DHSC seeks DG to manage 'one of government's highest spending portfolios'
16 Nov 2021 Finance
DHSC seeks DG to manage 'one of government's highest spending portfolios'
Job involves overseeing government commitment to build 40 new hospitals
BEIS spends £1m on emergency financial advice as energy suppliers collapse Exclusive
12 Nov 2021 Finance
BEIS spends £1m on emergency financial advice as energy suppliers collapse
Contract for finance support as energy suppliers collapsed was awarded without a tender
Pandemic-driven flexible working progress saves hundreds of HMRC jobs
05 Nov 2021 Finance
Pandemic-driven flexible working progress saves hundreds of HMRC jobs
But department’s annual report estimates fraud in Covid support schemes topped £6bn in 2020-21
Government to focus on moving out of 'high cost' offices in new estate plan
03 Nov 2021 Finance
Government to focus on moving out of 'high cost' offices in new estate plan
Minister reveals renewed focus for property following Spending Review
'Unfair' to criticise sky-high spending on Covid schemes, Sunak says
02 Nov 2021 Finance
'Unfair' to criticise sky-high spending on Covid schemes, Sunak says
Chancellor defends £37bn spent on test and trace scheme and cost of furlough fraud