Policy

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

National Audit Office report says Department for Education's Pupil Premium has used "clear formula to achieve a specific purpose", but says some schools being left with less money overall

Report by the National Audit Office says Cabinet Office’s Talent Action Plan on Whitehall diversity needs measures “to track progress and help sustain momentum”

Cabinet secretary says Civil Service Awards provide rare opportunity for “boasting” about achievements

Security review calls for “comprehensive and comprehensible new law” to govern security agencies’ surveillance powers

Independent Commission for Aid Impact says DfID’s aid measurement focuses too much on short term financial results over long term ‘transformative change’

National Audit Office report says department consulted carefully on Care Act, but sounds warning over whether local authorities will be able to cope with demand

Chancellor says "decision point" reached over government's stake in Royal Bank of Scotland

Austin Mitchell reviews a new book examining the impact of decades of reform to central government 

Stereotyped as masters of the dark arts, what role do special advisers really play? As a new crop arrives in Whitehall, Sarah Aston asked some veteran spads to share their war stories

Meg Munn served as a minister for more than three years. Here she reflects on her time working with civil servants, including her attempts to get officials to ditch "baffling" jargon