HR

Outgoing Foreign Office permanent secretary stresses the need for “balance” between the centre of government and individual departments ahead of further reforms

Justice secretary stresses that departmental non-execs – designed to sharpen outside scrutiny of Whitehall – are ministerial appointments, after overseeing shake-up of MoJ board

Strike thresholds and curbs to the political levy among measures set to feature in new bill

Throughout his premiership, David Cameron’s inner circle has remained remarkably consistent. Historian and author Anthony Seldon runs through the men and women who make 10 Downing Street tick

Cabinet secretary stresses that spending review will allow departments to make "considered decisions" on "size and shape of their workforces"

Union calls on Scots finance minister John Swinney to reject Chancellor's one per cent public sector payrise cap north of the border

Chancellor uses first Conservative-only Budget to announce four more years of public sector pay restraint

UK’s representative to the UN Sir Mark Lyall-Grant will succeed Sir Kim Darroch as David Cameron’s national security adviser

"Robespierre terror" of Public Accounts Committee under former chair Margaret Hodge will be copied by more MPs, former health secretary warns officials

Sir David Normington eyes candidates with private sector experience as body overseeing civil service appointments seeks new commissioners

Richard Heaton to succeed Ursula Brennan as MoJ permanent secretary, while civil service chief executive John Manzoni given Heaton's Cabinet Office perm sec remit

Cabinet Office announces that Hill – Defra's perm sec since 2011 – will be succeeded by the DfT's Clare Moriarty