Read the spring 2023 issue of Civil Service World
21 Mar Policy

Read the spring 2023 issue of Civil Service World

Read exclusive interviews with Home Office perm sec Matthew Rycroft and first civil service commissioner Gisela Stuart – plus deep dives on the trade profession and chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance's legacy
by Civil Service World
BEIS recovered just 1% of £1.1bn fraud in Covid support loans to small firms
24 Mar Policy
BEIS recovered just 1% of £1.1bn fraud in Covid support loans to small firms
DWP pledges to improve disabled people's experience of benefits system
15 Mar Policy
DWP pledges to improve disabled people's experience of benefits system
Universal Credit sanctions tightened again as DWP told to publish research on their effectiveness
15 Mar Policy
Universal Credit sanctions tightened again as DWP told to publish research on their effectiveness
‘These are almost impossibly difficult issues to grapple with’: Matthew Rycroft on Rwanda, Windrush and transforming the Home Office Exclusive
20 Mar Policy
‘These are almost impossibly difficult issues to grapple with’: Matthew Rycroft on Rwanda, Windrush and transforming the Home Office
‘Permacrisis’ may have been Collins Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2022, but it’s been part of the Home Office lexicon for decades. What’s it like leading such a closely scrutinised department while trying to transform its culture at the same time?
Spring Budget: Government launches new savings tracker amid departmental spending squeeze
15 Mar Policy
Spring Budget: Government launches new savings tracker amid departmental spending squeeze
IFS warns defence and childcare boosts could mean “very tough time for other spending areas”
Home Office perm sec 'proud of challenge' civil servants provide on immigration policy Exclusive
09 Mar Policy
Home Office perm sec 'proud of challenge' civil servants provide on immigration policy
Matthew Rycroft's comments came before Suella Braverman accused "activist" civil servants of "blocking" ministers' immigration reforms
Suella Braverman 'may have broken ministerial code' with attack on 'activist civil servants'
08 Mar Policy
Suella Braverman 'may have broken ministerial code' with attack on 'activist civil servants'
Home secretary lambasted for "cowardly" attack on Home Office staff over illegal migration bill
Cabinet Office targets £1bn-a-year savings through new efficiency pilot
07 Mar Policy
Cabinet Office targets £1bn-a-year savings through new efficiency pilot
Department will trial project which aims to modernise, automate and digitise government processes
Departmental delays ‘put government’s net-zero plans at risk’
02 Mar Policy
Departmental delays ‘put government’s net-zero plans at risk’
National Audit Office says lack of a delivery strategy for clean electricity could spook investors and ramp up costs
Commission aims to fix ‘hopelessly ill-equipped‘ centre of government
01 Mar Policy
Commission aims to fix ‘hopelessly ill-equipped‘ centre of government
Former cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell and historian Peter Hennessy back yearlong IfG project
Treasury tightens reins on DLUHC spending decisions
10 Feb Policy
Treasury tightens reins on DLUHC spending decisions
Minister says new regime is a “delegation approach” that gives HMT sign-off on capital spend
Counter-terror Prevent duty could be expanded to DWP, Border Force and asylum staff
09 Feb Policy
Counter-terror Prevent duty could be expanded to DWP, Border Force and asylum staff
Braverman accepts 34 review recommendations but opponents criticise increased focus on Islamist threat
'There will be a job for everyone,' Sarah Munby reassures civil servants as BEIS splits Exclusive
07 Feb Policy
'There will be a job for everyone,' Sarah Munby reassures civil servants as BEIS splits
Simon Case acknowledges staff are "unsettled" as perm sec says she "didn’t expect" today's announcement
What's it really like for civil servants when departments are broken up?
07 Feb Policy
What's it really like for civil servants when departments are broken up?

The policy and strategy arguments for reshaping Whitehall may be strong, says former senior official Dunstan Hadley, but the human upheaval and logistical nightmare should never be overlooked
Government's ‘top down-approach’ to net zero 'holding back progress'
02 Feb Policy
Government's ‘top down-approach’ to net zero 'holding back progress'
Government needs to give mayoral authorities powers to deliver net zero goals, think tank says
More civil service policy advice should be made public, think tank says
01 Feb Policy
More civil service policy advice should be made public, think tank says
Publishing more civil service advice would improve quality of evidence and analysis and help with recruitment, the Institute for Government says
Nick Timothy reviewing Home Office 'structures and systems'
30 Jan Policy
Nick Timothy reviewing Home Office 'structures and systems'
Theresa May's former adviser is working as an independent consultant at the department
Government efforts to improve environment 'have fallen short', watchdog says
24 Jan Policy
Government efforts to improve environment 'have fallen short', watchdog says
Office for Environmental Protection says government has been "slow to act" and must now "act with energy and urgency”
Sunak must press on with civil service reform, IfG director warns
13 Jan Policy
Sunak must press on with civil service reform, IfG director warns
Hannah White says progress with combatting churn and bringing in outside expertise could be “valuable legacy” for PM
Heywood Foundation names latest fellow
11 Jan Policy
Heywood Foundation names latest fellow
Jonathan Black takes up research posting created in memory of late cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood
Tom Scholar named in New Year Honours – plus all the civil servants that made the 2023 list
03 Jan Policy
Tom Scholar named in New Year Honours – plus all the civil servants that made the 2023 list
Home Office perm sec Matthew Rycroft and Treasury second perm sec Cat Little named alongside former Treasury chief
For the Scottish Government, 2022 was about making progress together in hard times
22 Dec 2022 Policy
For the Scottish Government, 2022 was about making progress together in hard times
After becoming perm sec this year, JP Marks talks about the importance of living civil organisational values
Equality Hub director Marcus Bell on sign language success, a tough ‘media climate’ – and why Slade makes him shudder
19 Dec 2022 Policy
Equality Hub director Marcus Bell on sign language success, a tough ‘media climate’ – and why Slade makes him shudder
"Diminishing resources” will be the Cabinet Office Equality Hub's biggest challenge ahead
Civil Service Awards 2022 winners revealed
09 Dec 2022 Policy
Civil Service Awards 2022 winners revealed
See the awards list in full
Look to the future: Sarah Healey on the challenges of digital policymaking
07 Dec 2022 Policy
Look to the future: Sarah Healey on the challenges of digital policymaking
As DCMS perm sec Sarah Healey argued in a recent speech, policymakers should not assume in the face of monumental change that a policy response is impossible
Outcome delivery plans suspended after job-cuts saga and Autumn Statement
01 Dec 2022 Policy
Outcome delivery plans suspended after job-cuts saga and Autumn Statement
Disruption halted publication but Sunak will not scrap ODPs in the long run, minister confirms
We should go further and faster in redesigning human-centred public services
30 Nov 2022 Policy
We should go further and faster in redesigning human-centred public services
The UK scores well on a new international ranking of people-focused public services. But amid ever-growing pressures, we cannot afford to sit on our hands