Finance

New report praises cross-government progress since 2010 but questions the value of Single Departmental Plans

Charity calls for good practice standards, as survey highlights concerns about unfair treatment by local authorities and Department for Work and Pensions

Common Agricultural Policy fines continue to hamper Defra accounts, while National Audit Office also points to the Ministry of Defence's non-compliance with international accounting standards

National Audit Office issues another qualification of department’s accounts and says fraud and error levels remain “unacceptably high”

Changes come as DH seeks to cut running costs by 30% by 2020

Speaking from the Treasury, chancellor says UK will face decision to leave European Union from a "position of strength" – but defers decision to cut spending and raise taxes

New chief executive and permanent secretary tells MPs that technology issues and new performance management regime are at the root of organisation’s problems

Think tank praises updated blueprint for public-sector procurement but warns new clause must be used

Acting permanent secretary poised to take on £340,000-a-year City of London role

Audited accounts of more than 5,500 public sector organisations are published after a delay – but the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants warns this "rich source" of data could get buried

Chancellor says Treasury civil servants planning for the impact of leaving the EU on financial stability in the UK – but Number 10 maintains no wider policy planning taking place

Specialist union's formal response to Cabinet Office's planned shake-up of Civil Service Compensation Scheme warns of impact on workforce management – and raises prospect of industrial action

Committee of MPs says department has “not made a diligent and credible case” for policy which aims to fund discounts for housing association properties by selling off council homes

PAC urges stronger cross-government effort to clamp down on fines incurred for errors in the way government spends EU funds

Department points out that shift to include spending on war pensions and intelligence gathering falls within Nato guidelines

Macpherson says IDS's resignation over Personal Independence Payments was an "interesting, postmodern" decision

Troup faces media scrutiny over role at Simmons & Simmons – as HMRC points out his role "has never involved responsibility for operational activities or direct dealings with companies on their tax affairs"

HMRC asks for access to the Panama Papers offshore leaks and vows to "relentlessly pursue" wrongdoing – but tax expert Richard Murphy says department "just hasn’t got the resources"

Second perm sec to announce he is leaving the civil service after vying for top Treasury job

Proposals to make local government financially self-sufficient by 2020 must not be impacted by George Osborne's business-boosting measures, a lobby group has warned

Chancellor says: "I’ve made adjustments to my plans to make sure we are going to live within our means"

Plans to end local authority reliance on Whitehall gather pace

Chancellor pays tribute to "great public servant" – but SNP MPs jeer reference to "impartiality"

Weaker growth and delayed sales of government assets expected to contribute to missed target