Government Tax Profession

Civil Service Board backs move to let key commercial staff work directly for the centre of government, potentially sitting outside of departmental pay and grading

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills perm sec Martin Donnelly vows to ensure staff are "fully supported" as he confirms plan to shut Sheffield policy site by January 2018. CSW has full details and reaction from the PCS and FDA unions, Labour, and frontline staff

Department for Business perm sec Martin Donnelly arrives to brief staff on possible St Paul's Place closure plans – as strike action continues

Latest revisions to the tax authority's Single Departmental Plan include customer service targets and aim of getting staff engagement up to civil service-wide average

National Audit Office says customer service hit by tax authority's decision to reduce staff numbers before online switch was ready – but HMRC says it is now offering its "best service levels in years"

Labour leader backs long-running aim of the Public and Commercial Services union, that would see an end to departmental chiefs setting their own pay for staff

Public and Commercial Services union general secretary says union must have “very important" debate about its future direction, and says PCS is "still standing" in spite of plans to end deduction of union fees from civil servants' pay packets

New report by the UK’s aid watchdog says Department for International Development’s claims on improving access to water and sanitation are credible — but warns department’s focus may be too short-term

Cabinet Office promises new multi agency incident transfer protocol will help improve response to major incidents like terror attacks and floods

Civil service diversity champion wants more info on levels of awareness and take-up of workplace adjustments among disabled officials – and says tackling bullying and harassment will require a change in culture

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues on Dods People

Spending watchdog criticises Cabinet Office for oversight of plan to merge back office functions, as delays and lack of buy-in lops millions off savings target

Tech entrepreneur and government digital adviser tells The House magazine that Government Digital Service was right to  "go fast" in its early years – but says reform efforts must not become "balkanised" in separate departments

Exclusive: As BIS Sheffield staff go on strike over the department's plan to move policy jobs to London, shadow cabinet office minister Louise Haigh denies that MPs are ignoring the need for departmental reform – and urges better local consultation. Photo credit: Amerjit Basi​

Experts question the ability of Queen’s Speech centrepiece to deal with system's core problems

Government unveils latest push to ease public sector data-sharing

Late principal private secretary to prime minister David Cameron honoured in naming of this year's Policy Award

Keep up with all the action and reaction from the State Opening of Parliament, via the PoliticsHome.com team

Prison shake-up to form centrepiece of government's new legislative agenda as Queen prepares for the State Opening of Parliament

MPs call on Cabinet Office to “re-invigorate” initiatives aimed at increasing the amount of money government spends with small and medium-sized enteprises

Crown Commercial Service to roll out the Open Contracting Data Standard across Whitehall by the autumn, as Cabinet Office acknowledges current contracts info acting as a "barrier to suppliers and businesses"

Independent Commission for Aid Impact says DfID has offered "global policy leadership" in fight against issues including female genital mutilation and child marriage

Treasury's second permanent secretary to set up new organisation bringing together research councils, in bid to support growth and cross-disciplinary research

Ahead of the State Opening of Parliament, think tank says slim Commons majority and tough Spending Review settlements mean government would be wise to focus on key priorities