If delivery is the government's focus, stability is one of the best ways to deliver it
09 Sep Operational Delivery

If delivery is the government's focus, stability is one of the best ways to deliver it

What began as a week focused on delivery ended with a major cabinet reshuffle. But ministers need time to get up to speed and for every new appointment, there is a price to pay on delivery
by Dave Penman
Departing Land Registry chief Simon Hayes talks lockdown, hybrid working and fighting the perfect storm of staff shortages and record demand
03 Sep Operational Delivery
Departing Land Registry chief Simon Hayes talks lockdown, hybrid working and fighting the perfect storm of staff shortages and record demand
New chief exec named for Companies House
25 Jul Operational Delivery
New chief exec named for Companies House
Home Office to set up cross-government team to monitor delivery of target to halve VAWG
21 Jul Operational Delivery
Home Office to set up cross-government team to monitor delivery of target to halve VAWG
Next government 'must examine drivers of disability benefit spending, not rush to restrict'
21 Jun 2024 Operational Delivery
Next government 'must examine drivers of disability benefit spending, not rush to restrict'
Resolution Foundation calls for "serious strategy" involving the NHS and employers as well as DWP and the Treasury
Progress on levelling up 'glacial', think tank says
19 Jun 2024 Operational Delivery
Progress on levelling up 'glacial', think tank says
Next government must be "decisive" if it wants to meet aims of levelling up white paper by 2030, IFS warns
Think tank makes argument for delivery units across government
18 Jun 2024 Operational Delivery
Think tank makes argument for delivery units across government
Reform paper makes series of recommendations to tackle barriers to effective delivery
Government must reduce size of the state or raise taxes, IFS warns
10 Jun 2024 Operational Delivery
Government must reduce size of the state or raise taxes, IFS warns
The think tank has urged political parties to set out their plan
I worked for Blair's Delivery Unit – trust me that the next government needs a new approach to reform
06 Jun 2024 Operational Delivery
I worked for Blair's Delivery Unit – trust me that the next government needs a new approach to reform
Top-down targets simply don’t release the creativity and compassion in our public servants that all of us are going to depend on, writes a former perm sec
'Current systems are deficient': HMRC warned over 'digital-by-default' approach
04 Jun 2024 Operational Delivery
'Current systems are deficient': HMRC warned over 'digital-by-default' approach
Industry bodies say there is a "gap" between the availability of online tools and HMRC's perceptions of what taxpayers can actually do
HMRC apologises for child benefit payment error
04 Jun 2024 Operational Delivery
HMRC apologises for child benefit payment error
Processing error that delayed child benefit payments for 500,000 people now fixed, department says
Power failure at Defra data centre caused ‘no significant border delays’, minister says
30 May 2024 Operational Delivery
Power failure at Defra data centre caused ‘no significant border delays’, minister says
Outage of key government service for sharing data between agencies operating at UK border lasted four days
Vetting better: how we turned around the UK Vetting Service
24 May 2024 Operational Delivery
Vetting better: how we turned around the UK Vetting Service
Turning around UKSV from a failing, beleaguered service has been arduous but inspirational, says Trish Dreghorn
Despite ministers' promises to tackle churn, the civil service whirligig keeps on spinning
20 May 2024 Operational Delivery
Despite ministers' promises to tackle churn, the civil service whirligig keeps on spinning
IfG research has found a third of top officials have spent less than a year in their current post
Post-Brexit border plan suffering from resourcing and oversight issues, NAO warns
20 May 2024 Operational Delivery
Post-Brexit border plan suffering from resourcing and oversight issues, NAO warns
Watchdog says government's border plan lacks an integrated cross-government delivery plan, while programmes face resourcing uncertainty
Second union to join G4S security-staff strike at DWP
17 May 2024 Operational Delivery
Second union to join G4S security-staff strike at DWP
PCS members on DWP’s G4S contract vote to walk out after GMB strikes closed 70 jobcentres last week
HMRC gets £51m to improve helplines as NAO finds customers are ‘being let down’
16 May 2024 Operational Delivery
HMRC gets £51m to improve helplines as NAO finds customers are ‘being let down’
Reducing HMRC helpline staff too early in digitalisation drive has left holes in customer service, watchdog says
DWP beats counter-fraud target by £50m
14 May 2024 Operational Delivery
DWP beats counter-fraud target by £50m
Update confirms plan to use temporary staff to fill 2,500 roles reviewing Universal Credit claims
DWP complaints climb
07 May 2024 Operational Delivery
DWP complaints climb
Customer grievances submitted about department's businesses rise for second year in a row, figures show
DWP 'faces disruption' as jobcentre security-staff strikes loom
25 Apr 2024 Operational Delivery
DWP 'faces disruption' as jobcentre security-staff strikes loom
Union says members working on G4S contract need an uplift on National Living Wage
Labour calls in heavy hitters to advise on 'modernising' HMRC
11 Apr 2024 Operational Delivery
Labour calls in heavy hitters to advise on 'modernising' HMRC
Former HMRC perm sec Edward Troup is among expert panel that will also look at how to boost tax compliance
We’re looking at public sector productivity the wrong way
21 Mar 2024 Operational Delivery
We’re looking at public sector productivity the wrong way
The chancellor is hoping that his £3.4bn investment will unlock £35bn in productivity improvements. But will it?
HMRC customer service levels at ‘all-time-low’, MPs warn
28 Feb 2024 Operational Delivery
HMRC customer service levels at ‘all-time-low’, MPs warn
Report blames “conscious choices made by HMRC and HM Treasury” as call wait times jump up
Cabinet Office 'probably tries to do too much', Chisholm tells MPs
27 Feb 2024 Operational Delivery
Cabinet Office 'probably tries to do too much', Chisholm tells MPs
Outgoing perm sec acknowledges department's diverse operations can be a challenge
Departments ‘must act now’ to prevent fraud in future emergencies
08 Feb 2024 Operational Delivery
Departments ‘must act now’ to prevent fraud in future emergencies
“By the time an emergency has started, it is usually too late to take all the steps needed," NAO report warns
‘If you're not a bit anxious at that point, something's wrong’: Perm secs on setting up DSIT, DBT and DESNZ
07 Feb 2024 Operational Delivery
‘If you're not a bit anxious at that point, something's wrong’: Perm secs on setting up DSIT, DBT and DESNZ
A year on from the MOG changes that shocked us all, the three departments' perm secs reflect and share their priorities for the year ahead
PCS calls off planned DVSA strike
07 Feb 2024 Operational Delivery
PCS calls off planned DVSA strike
Union says it has reached an agreement with DVSA management after “intensive talks”
DVSA staff to walk out over 'reckless' plan to clear test backlog
30 Jan 2024 Operational Delivery
DVSA staff to walk out over 'reckless' plan to clear test backlog
Driver services recovery programme to cut down waiting times creates “significant safety risks”, PCS says