'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
DHSC second perm sec to become envoy for northern growth
30 Oct Finance
DHSC second perm sec to become envoy for northern growth
HMRC error means public sector borrowing was overestimated by £3bn
09 Oct Finance
HMRC error means public sector borrowing was overestimated by £3bn
DHSC second perm sec appointed as National Wealth Fund NED
02 Oct Finance
DHSC second perm sec appointed as National Wealth Fund NED
A stronger civil service head and more ministerial appointments: Maude shares highlights of his review
27 Oct 2023 Finance
A stronger civil service head and more ministerial appointments: Maude shares highlights of his review
Francis Maude says his civil service governance review will also recommend splitting the Treasury
Insolvency Service ‘£8m out of pocket’ over Carillion proceedings
26 Oct 2023 Finance
Insolvency Service ‘£8m out of pocket’ over Carillion proceedings
Disqualification case against former non-execs of failed outsourcer was dropped this month
Fast Stream hits 50% STEM grads recruitment target
26 Oct 2023 Finance
Fast Stream hits 50% STEM grads recruitment target
Jeremy Quin says target is part of plan to "put innovation at the very core of policy making"
NAO flags ‘weaknesses’ in £7.8bn Cabinet Office savings figures
25 Oct 2023 Finance
NAO flags ‘weaknesses’ in £7.8bn Cabinet Office savings figures
Public-spending watchdog says some efficiencies attributed to the work of functions could be “overstated”
Efficiency is a moral imperative – but there are few incentives in Whitehall to really do more for less
20 Oct 2023 Finance
Efficiency is a moral imperative – but there are few incentives in Whitehall to really do more for less
Every pound that is wasted is a pound that could have been used to improve people’s lives, but little is done to recognise those who identify specific risks to spending, or operational bottlenecks to greater efficiency
Cash boost and ambition needed to improve UK infrastructure, advisers say
18 Oct 2023 Finance
Cash boost and ambition needed to improve UK infrastructure, advisers say
UK is at a “pivotal moment... to make a major difference to this country’s future", but must “get on with it”, commission says
Auditor KPMG hit with ‘record’ £21m fine for Carillion failings
13 Oct 2023 Finance
Auditor KPMG hit with ‘record’ £21m fine for Carillion failings
Scrutiny of collapsed outsourcer’s finances was “very bad, over an extended period”, boss admits
DfE apologises over £270m schools-funding error
09 Oct 2023 Finance
DfE apologises over £270m schools-funding error
Education secretary orders review of assurance process as schools forced to recalculate budgets
Deleted transport schemes ‘just examples’ of how HS2 savings can be used, minister claims
09 Oct 2023 Finance
Deleted transport schemes ‘just examples’ of how HS2 savings can be used, minister claims
Mark Harper says swiftly deleted announcements for Network North projects showed "the sorts of things" HS2 savings could be spent on
DfT perm sec admits HS2 now represents ‘poor value for money’
06 Oct 2023 Finance
DfT perm sec admits HS2 now represents ‘poor value for money’
Stripped-back plans for high-speed rail are now costed at £54bn to connect London with the West Midlands
DLUHC names full intervention team for Birmingham City Council
06 Oct 2023 Finance
DLUHC names full intervention team for Birmingham City Council
Cabinet Office’s crown representative for top tech firms is one of six specialists being parachuted in to help “bankrupt” authority
Think tank calls for accounting shakeup to boost preventative spending
05 Oct 2023 Finance
Think tank calls for accounting shakeup to boost preventative spending
Creation of “PDEL” category for departmental budgets would ring-fence allocations and drive innovation, Demos says
HS2 and A-levels scrapped: All of Sunak's Conservative conference announcements
05 Oct 2023 Finance
HS2 and A-levels scrapped: All of Sunak's Conservative conference announcements
PM promises "better transport connections in the north" as he scraps Manchester leg of HS2 rail link
MoD offers £150k for 'problem-solver' finance chief
04 Oct 2023 Finance
MoD offers £150k for 'problem-solver' finance chief
Successful candidate will work "at the heart of the MoD as the principal financial adviser for Defence"
Debt Management Office boss to step down after 20-year run
02 Oct 2023 Finance
Debt Management Office boss to step down after 20-year run
Sir Robert Stheeman, chief executive of the DMO, will retire next year
Braverman refuses to let MPs see 'commercially sensitive' details of Rwanda deal Exclusive
29 Sep 2023 Finance
Braverman refuses to let MPs see 'commercially sensitive' details of Rwanda deal
Home secretary turns down PAC's request to read details of UK-Rwanda asylum agreement in a private room
GPA secures permanent site for Darlington Economic Campus
26 Sep 2023 Finance
GPA secures permanent site for Darlington Economic Campus
Work to build Treasury’s second HQ will start next year and complete in 2026, Cabinet Office says
All the changes Rishi Sunak is making to net-zero pledges
21 Sep 2023 Finance
All the changes Rishi Sunak is making to net-zero pledges
From pushing back the new petrol car ban to increasing funds for heat pumps, here is Sunak's new approach to net zero
Anger as Sunak pushes back net-zero milestones
21 Sep 2023 Finance
Anger as Sunak pushes back net-zero milestones
But committee chair welcomes PM’s pledge of “greater scrutiny” for departmental policy work
NI perm secs told to begin consultation on cash-raising measures
21 Sep 2023 Finance
NI perm secs told to begin consultation on cash-raising measures
Move follows secretary of state’s imposition of £14.2bn budget amid Stormont power vacuum
Cabinet Office chastised over decision to pay Boris Johnson's Partygate legal bill
20 Sep 2023 Finance
Cabinet Office chastised over decision to pay Boris Johnson's Partygate legal bill
The department's reasoning was "not wholly persuasive", NAO says as it criticises decision-making proces
NI civil servants to strike again over failure to address pay dispute
14 Sep 2023 Finance
NI civil servants to strike again over failure to address pay dispute
Civil servants are "victims of the secretary of state’s sanctions budget", NIPSA union says
Staffing and IT woes hampering MoD’s inventory issues, watchdog warns
14 Sep 2023 Finance
Staffing and IT woes hampering MoD’s inventory issues, watchdog warns
NAO says 20% of the department’s centrally held stockpile is either unserviceable or past its use-by date
DHSC lacked economic advice to support Covid response, ex-minister says
06 Sep 2023 Finance
DHSC lacked economic advice to support Covid response, ex-minister says
Bethell also criticised No.10’s "odd" approach to managing the pandemic, and argued that government should be like Transformers