'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
NAO: Simple cost-cutting won’t cut it – departments must develop more detailed understanding of costs
15 Sep Finance
NAO: Simple cost-cutting won’t cut it – departments must develop more detailed understanding of costs
Reeves announces late-November Autumn Budget
03 Sep Finance
Reeves announces late-November Autumn Budget
Spending Review 2025 recap: Here's everything you need to know
04 Aug Finance
Spending Review 2025 recap: Here's everything you need to know
Cab sec criticises Conservatives' handling of budget pressures
03 Sep 2024 Finance
Cab sec criticises Conservatives' handling of budget pressures
Simon Case says last government's failure to update 2021 Spending Review has contributed to financial uncertainty
Consultancy spending yet to drop to pre-pandemic levels
02 Sep 2024 Finance
Consultancy spending yet to drop to pre-pandemic levels
DESNZ was biggest central-government spender last year as cross-public sector spending on consultants hit £3.4bn
Home Office under fire for 'deeply unsatisfactory' asylum budgeting
29 Aug 2024 Finance
Home Office under fire for 'deeply unsatisfactory' asylum budgeting
Think tank says pattern of multi-billion-pound annual overspends looks like a breach of Treasury rules
Reeves tells departments to find billions of pounds in savings ahead of Budget
29 Aug 2024 Finance
Reeves tells departments to find billions of pounds in savings ahead of Budget
Health and Education departments among those asked to make big savings ahead of October budget, according to reports
Autumn Budget will be 'painful', Starmer warns
28 Aug 2024 Finance
Autumn Budget will be 'painful', Starmer warns
"I won't shy away from making unpopular decisions," PM says
Public sector pay rises 'putting significant pressure' on Scottish budget
28 Aug 2024 Finance
Public sector pay rises 'putting significant pressure' on Scottish budget
Scottish Fiscal Commission suggests lower pay rises than in England would reduce pressure on Scottish Government's budget
ONS data shows 'unprecedented' pressure on departmental budgets
22 Aug 2024 Finance
ONS data shows 'unprecedented' pressure on departmental budgets
Think tank warns £4.7bn overspend in first four months of financial year signals "particularly difficult" 2025-26 Spending Review
Scrap £4bn jail-building scheme, former prisons inspector tells ministers
15 Aug 2024 Finance
Scrap £4bn jail-building scheme, former prisons inspector tells ministers
Expansion of prison places not a "good way to spend money", Nick Hardwick says
Scottish finance secretary orders emergency spending controls
14 Aug 2024 Finance
Scottish finance secretary orders emergency spending controls
New spending will only be permitted if it is “truly essential or unavoidable”, Shona Robison says
Treasury fines Home Office £500,000 over salary rule breach
14 Aug 2024 Finance
Treasury fines Home Office £500,000 over salary rule breach
Department failed to seek ministerial approval for senior civil servant's pay package of more than £150,000
Treasury formally launches Spending Review process
13 Aug 2024 Finance
Treasury formally launches Spending Review process
Darren Jones tells secretaries of state their departments will need to find cash-saving efficiencies
Minister sets timeline for clearing council audit backlog
02 Aug 2024 Finance
Minister sets timeline for clearing council audit backlog
Jim McMahon admits 'uncomfortable' aspects of plan, with some authorities set to lack complete audits for years
Hunt says £22bn black hole claims 'risk bringing civil service into disrepute'
30 Jul 2024 Finance
Hunt says £22bn black hole claims 'risk bringing civil service into disrepute'
Ex-chancellor asks cabinet secretary whether perm secs who signed off on main estimates will be sanctioned if figures are wrong
Departments told to shave 2% off admin budgets and stop 'unnecessary' consultancy spend
29 Jul 2024 Finance
Departments told to shave 2% off admin budgets and stop 'unnecessary' consultancy spend
Reeves orders immediate halt to “non-essential” spending on consultants and government comms amid savings push
Reeves commits to spending review every two years
29 Jul 2024 Finance
Reeves commits to spending review every two years
Chancellor announces next spending review date and fiscal-planning reforms
Reeves to announce efficiencies drive and consultancy spend squeeze in major speech
29 Jul 2024 Finance
Reeves to announce efficiencies drive and consultancy spend squeeze in major speech
Chancellor will set out reforms to "put an end to wasteful spending in government" and address £20bn black hole
NAO calls for crackdown on 'poor-quality' procurement frameworks
26 Jul 2024 Finance
NAO calls for crackdown on 'poor-quality' procurement frameworks
Report says Cabinet Office headcount cap has hampered work of Crown Commercial Service
Recruitment begins for Covid corruption tsar
23 Jul 2024 Finance
Recruitment begins for Covid corruption tsar
Commissioner will work with HMRC, NCA and SFO to recover billions lost to Covid fraud
Book review: Neil Lee’s Innovation for the Masses is an ideal book for policymakers
22 Jul 2024 Finance
Book review: Neil Lee’s Innovation for the Masses is an ideal book for policymakers
Can we drive innovation and also build greater equality? This solution-focused guide suggests so
Anti-corruption groups call for more investment in government agencies
16 Jul 2024 Finance
Anti-corruption groups call for more investment in government agencies
UK Anti-Corruption Coalition also urges appointment of anti-corruption champion, a position that has been vacant for 759 days
Starmer launches 'root and branch' defence review
16 Jul 2024 Finance
Starmer launches 'root and branch' defence review
Former New Labour defence secretary George Robertson will lead exercise, which will report in "first half of 2025"
National Wealth Fund to bring together existing bodies
09 Jul 2024 Finance
National Wealth Fund to bring together existing bodies
UK Infrastructure Bank and the British Business Bank to be 'aligned' under investment plan
Home secretary orders audit of Rwanda spending
08 Jul 2024 Finance
Home secretary orders audit of Rwanda spending
Yvette Cooper also launches Border Security Command, a key cog in Labour's plan to tackle illegal crossings
Anger over timing of £300m Northern Ireland mini-budget
02 Jul 2024 Finance
Anger over timing of £300m Northern Ireland mini-budget
NICS head Jayne Brady is asked to explain decision to proceed with announcement days ahead of general election