Experts voice fears as Ethics and Integrity Commission goes live
14 Oct Policy

Experts voice fears as Ethics and Integrity Commission goes live

Successor body to Committee on Standards in Public Life “needs full independence and statutory footing”, anti-corruption organisations warn
by Jim Dunton
Think tank floats plans for standalone Department for the Prime Minister
04 Nov Policy
Think tank floats plans for standalone Department for the Prime Minister
DSIT says AI tool could free up 75,000 civil servant days a year
16 Oct Policy
DSIT says AI tool could free up 75,000 civil servant days a year
Weak oversight and overly complex design: DESNZ criticised for insulation failings
15 Oct Policy
Weak oversight and overly complex design: DESNZ criticised for insulation failings
Government comms criticised as new northern lockdown rules brought in at short notice
31 Jul 2020 Policy
Government comms criticised as new northern lockdown rules brought in at short notice
Matt Hancock says data from the test and trace system shows case number increase is a result of households meeting each other
Government to pay young people’s wages for six months under Treasury ‘Plan for Jobs’
08 Jul 2020 Policy
Government to pay young people’s wages for six months under Treasury ‘Plan for Jobs’
Treasury also confirms it still plans to complete a comprehensive spending review to be completed this year despite coronavirus impact
Government turns to Instagram to seek policy guidance from teenagers
03 Jul 2020 Policy
Government turns to Instagram to seek policy guidance from teenagers
New initiative will seek to gain views of people aged 13 to 25
PM unveils infrastructure spending and planning reforms to ‘build, build, build’ out of Covid-19 crisis
30 Jun 2020 Policy
PM unveils infrastructure spending and planning reforms to ‘build, build, build’ out of Covid-19 crisis
"Times demand” interventionist policies to aid UK's economic recovery, Boris Johnson says
Daily coronavirus press conferences scrapped after PM unveils easing of lockdown rules
24 Jun 2020 Policy
Daily coronavirus press conferences scrapped after PM unveils easing of lockdown rules

“We’ll continue to hold press conferences to coincide with significant announcements," says No.10
Pubs, restaurants, hotels and hairdressers to re-open as PM sets out lockdown easing
23 Jun 2020 Policy
Pubs, restaurants, hotels and hairdressers to re-open as PM sets out lockdown easing

Boris Johnson says country’s “long hibernation is coming to an end”
Explained: All the key changes to England's coronavirus lockdown announced by Boris Johnson
23 Jun 2020 Policy
Explained: All the key changes to England's coronavirus lockdown announced by Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has announced a major relaxation of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England. But what are the details of the new plans and how will it impact on our day-to-day lives?
Coronavirus: DWP ‘must not ignore’ people claiming legacy benefits after Universal Credit boost
22 Jun 2020 Policy
Coronavirus: DWP ‘must not ignore’ people claiming legacy benefits after Universal Credit boost

Recipients of benefits including jobseekers’ allowance and employment support allowance have “slipped down the list of priorities”, says committee chair
Case study: How academic ‘policy entrepreneurs’ can help the civil service
19 Jun 2020 Policy
Case study: How academic ‘policy entrepreneurs’ can help the civil service

From the impact of Covid-19 to dealing with the impact of climate change, government has never faced greater policy challenges. But, as recent work on developing policy strategies for carbon capture and storage shows, civil servants can get help from academics to find the right solutions. Professor Karen Turner, the director from the Centre for Energy Policy at the University of Strathclyde, explains

Government launches fresh review into racial inequality in wake of Black Lives Matters protests
15 Jun 2020 Policy
Government launches fresh review into racial inequality in wake of Black Lives Matters protests

Inquiry comes after Race Disparity Audit, which was published in 2017 when Theresa May was prime minister
Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen hold talks in bid to break Brexit deadlock
15 Jun 2020 Policy
Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen hold talks in bid to break Brexit deadlock

The PM will be joined on the call by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and UK’s chief negotiator David Frost.
Equalities watchdog to probe Home Office ‘hostile environment’ policy in wake of Windrush scandal
15 Jun 2020 Policy
Equalities watchdog to probe Home Office ‘hostile environment’ policy in wake of Windrush scandal

EHRC legal action will review whether immigration measures complied with equality law
Coronavirus: 25,000 people discharged from hospitals to care homes without tests at height of pandemic, NAO confirms
12 Jun 2020 Policy
Coronavirus: 25,000 people discharged from hospitals to care homes without tests at height of pandemic, NAO confirms

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt says report reveals 'no one appeared to consider the clinical risk to care homes'
DHSC social care task force to 'keep staff and residents safe'
09 Jun 2020 Policy
DHSC social care task force to 'keep staff and residents safe'

Group will ensure care homes have the support they need to control this virus, health secretary says
Ministers draft in business chiefs for coronavirus economic plan as Johnson ‘eyes July recovery speech’
08 Jun 2020 Policy
Ministers draft in business chiefs for coronavirus economic plan as Johnson ‘eyes July recovery speech’

Details emerge as SAGE member says government was too slow to enter lockdown
More than 1m people risk being ‘plunged into poverty’ due to the coronavirus crisis, think tank warns
04 Jun 2020 Policy
More than 1m people risk being ‘plunged into poverty’ due to the coronavirus crisis, think tank warns

Rise partly mitigated by Universal Credit changes announced in March, according to analysis
Johnson hints at review of no recourse to public funds policy after ‘jaw-dropping’ committee grilling
28 May 2020 Policy
Johnson hints at review of no recourse to public funds policy after ‘jaw-dropping’ committee grilling

Work and pension committee chair to follow up with No.10 after PM ‘clearly surprised to hear that people in this situation can’t claim Universal Credit or other benefits’
Public have ‘civic duty’ to take part as NHS Test and Trace programme launches across England
28 May 2020 Policy
Public have ‘civic duty’ to take part as NHS Test and Trace programme launches across England

System launched ahead of NHS app intended to help people find out if they have came into contact with anyone with Covid-19 symptoms
Government plans to remove Huawei from 5G network by 2023 – reports
27 May 2020 Policy
Government plans to remove Huawei from 5G network by 2023 – reports

Prime minister plans to backtrack on previous decision to allow Chinese giant to play a role in next-generation telecoms
Non-essential shops can open from 15 June if they are ‘Covid secure’, Boris Johnson says
26 May 2020 Policy
Non-essential shops can open from 15 June if they are ‘Covid secure’, Boris Johnson says

New guidelines to be published by governemnt as part of retail re-opening
Brexit: Michael Gove says there will be ‘additional new processes’ at Northern Ireland border
21 May 2020 Policy
Brexit: Michael Gove says there will be ‘additional new processes’ at Northern Ireland border

Cabinet Office minister says there will be “some limited additional process on goods arriving in Northern Ireland” under the Brexit deal
Red tape challenge: Stephen Gibson reflects on a decade of the Regulatory Policy Committee
20 May 2020 Policy
Red tape challenge: Stephen Gibson reflects on a decade of the Regulatory Policy Committee

The Regulatory Policy Committee exists to ensure departments effectively weigh up the costs, benefits and risks of new regulations. Its interim chair, Stephen Gibson, tells Beckie Smith why it’s important to tell departments what they need to hear – even if it’s not what they want to hear
Government to scrap ‘stay at home’ message with plan to ease lockdown – starting with more exercise and sunbathing in parks
07 May 2020 Policy
Government to scrap ‘stay at home’ message with plan to ease lockdown – starting with more exercise and sunbathing in parks

Cabinet considers plans ahead of prime ministerial statement on Sunday, with new 'Stay Safe, Save Lives' message
ICO tells NHS to ‘collect minimum amount of personal data’ as contact-tracing app starts trial
06 May 2020 Policy
ICO tells NHS to ‘collect minimum amount of personal data’ as contact-tracing app starts trial

As health service app moves towards nationwide launch, regulator sets out principles that should be followed