Social care plan 'three steps forward and two steps back'
02 Dec 2021 Policy

Social care plan 'three steps forward and two steps back'

Spending a disappointment given scale of crisis in sector, says former minister Jeremy Hunt
by CSW staff
Places with high homelessness rates not receiving enough levelling up funding, think tank warns
14 Jan Policy
Places with high homelessness rates not receiving enough levelling up funding, think tank warns
Home Office appoints panel to advise on 'scientific' ways to verify age of asylum seekers
07 Jan Policy
Home Office appoints panel to advise on 'scientific' ways to verify age of asylum seekers
‘This is my job’: Whitty says he is not ‘treading on ministers’ toes’ by advising public to cut down on festive socialising
16 Dec 2021 Policy
‘This is my job’: Whitty says he is not ‘treading on ministers’ toes’ by advising public to cut down on festive socialising
MPs pick new Home Affairs Committee chair
16 Dec 2021 Policy
MPs pick new Home Affairs Committee chair
Diana Johnson wins vote to replace Yvette Cooper on influential scrutiny panel
‘Instability is a future staple’: thinking through the policy challenges of the 21st century
06 Dec 2021 Policy
‘Instability is a future staple’: thinking through the policy challenges of the 21st century
Civil servants will need to get used to increased volatility in a world of unprecedented challenges. The resilience of the state has never been more vital, says Matthew Bell
MPs express 'real concerns' over social care costing changes
24 Nov 2021 Policy
MPs express 'real concerns' over social care costing changes
Treasury Committee urges government to publish a full impact assessment "as soon as possible"
Government scientists seek real-world insight for net-zero policymaking
15 Nov 2021 Policy
Government scientists seek real-world insight for net-zero policymaking
Project will look at how social and behaviour changes will impact the government’s 2050 ambitions
Gove eyes new cabinet-level committees to deliver levelling up
09 Nov 2021 Policy
Gove eyes new cabinet-level committees to deliver levelling up
Agenda requires similar structures to those for Brexit and net-zero, minister tells MPs
‘Several policy teams within DHSC did not know’: secrecy over social care reform revealed
25 Oct 2021 Policy
‘Several policy teams within DHSC did not know’: secrecy over social care reform revealed
Policy teams were not told the date or details of the plan until shortly before the PM announced it
Ministers can’t continue treating equalities brief as a ‘side hustle’, MPs warn
24 Sep 2021 Policy
Ministers can’t continue treating equalities brief as a ‘side hustle’, MPs warn
Committee chair says it is “obvious” the latest cabinet line-up has no space to properly address inequalities
Gove urged to clarify ‘confused’ levelling-up rhetoric
24 Sep 2021 Policy
Gove urged to clarify ‘confused’ levelling-up rhetoric
Institute for Government warns flagship drive cannot be all things to all people and places
Opinion: Improving government communication won’t save muddled policy decisions
17 Sep 2021 Policy
Opinion: Improving government communication won’t save muddled policy decisions
While poor communications can damage public confidence and a government’s reputation, good communications cannot salvage one whose overall approach is inconsistent or dishonest, says IfG’s Alex Thomas
Lansley laments loss of policy skills in civil service
20 Aug 2021 Policy
Lansley laments loss of policy skills in civil service
But former health secretary says officials are more interested in control than improving outcomes for service users
Home Office ‘to keep Afghan refugee policy under review’ as government responds to Taliban takeover
17 Aug 2021 Policy
Home Office ‘to keep Afghan refugee policy under review’ as government responds to Taliban takeover
Scope of resettlement to be considered ‘based on capacity for support’, the department says
Cabinet Office procurement plans ‘could do more harm than good’
30 Jul 2021 Policy
Cabinet Office procurement plans ‘could do more harm than good’
Peers warn prioritisation of competition over collaboration in public service commissioning risks compromising expertise and innovation
Cost estimate for new ‘national flagship’ rises to £250m
29 Jul 2021 Policy
Cost estimate for new ‘national flagship’ rises to £250m
Defence secretary says MoD taskforce will ensure project 'comes in on time and on budget'
End short-term focus to unlock Spending Review efficiencies, Treasury told
14 Jul 2021 Policy
End short-term focus to unlock Spending Review efficiencies, Treasury told
NAO highlights areas where efficiencies have fallen short, including shared services, automation and outsourcing
Centre of government ‘lacks proper data’ to monitor arm’s length bodies
23 Jun 2021 Policy
Centre of government ‘lacks proper data’ to monitor arm’s length bodies
National Audit Office warns department-level information deficit could impact Cabinet Office’s ability to drive efficiency and reform
DfE policy adviser lined up as next Ofqual head
21 Jun 2021 Policy
DfE policy adviser lined up as next Ofqual head
Education secretary picks Jo Saxton as preferred candidate to be chief regulator at exams watchdog
15-strong levelling up task force to drive flagship policy
13 May 2021 Policy
15-strong levelling up task force to drive flagship policy
Officials will be recruited from across government for new unit
PM to set up No.10 unit to strengthen policy delivery
22 Apr 2021 Policy
PM to set up No.10 unit to strengthen policy delivery
Blair-style team will be headed up by coronavirus vaccination lead Emily Lawson
Staff churn ‘means lawyers have better policy knowledge than officers’
16 Apr 2021 Policy
Staff churn ‘means lawyers have better policy knowledge than officers’
Think tank argues policymaking processes should be improved before rules on High Court challenges are changed
Independent commission calls for Spending Reviews to be dumped
12 Apr 2021 Policy
Independent commission calls for Spending Reviews to be dumped
Panel also calls for departmental boards to get greater powers to scrutinise top officials’ performance
Departments ‘don’t have resources to design effective net-zero policies’
01 Apr 2021 Policy
Departments ‘don’t have resources to design effective net-zero policies’
Institute for Government says ministers must learn lessons from the debacle over the Green Homes Grant cancellation
Covid policy lessons: one year on from the UK’s first lockdown, how have other countries faced the crisis?
23 Mar 2021 Policy
Covid policy lessons: one year on from the UK’s first lockdown, how have other countries faced the crisis?
As the NHS performs the difficult balancing act of carrying out a nationwide vaccine rollout while trying to mitigate the spread of new Covid variants, Geoffrey Lyons peers beyond British borders to review five innovative and relatively inexpensive responses to Covid from foreign governments
Cabinet Office and FCDO ‘grappling’ over China policy, says ex-perm sec
19 Mar 2021 Policy
Cabinet Office and FCDO ‘grappling’ over China policy, says ex-perm sec
Simon McDonald tells committee departments each have claim to lead on UK approach to world’s second-largest economy
PM sets out 10-year foreign-policy vision for ‘increased international activism’
16 Mar 2021 Policy
PM sets out 10-year foreign-policy vision for ‘increased international activism’
Integrated review of security and defence eyes “tilt to the Indo-Pacific” and new tech hubs