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
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
Five reasons to include Policy Festival in your learning calendar this year
10 Sep Policy
Five reasons to include Policy Festival in your learning calendar this year
MPs urge reform to boost cross-departmental data sharing
28 May 2024 Policy
MPs urge reform to boost cross-departmental data sharing
Treasury urged to incentivise progress as current Cabinet Office initiatives are dubbed "self-evidently insufficient"
Whistleblowing: Civil service 'needs culture change' to create a 'speak-up environment'
28 May 2024 Policy
Whistleblowing: Civil service 'needs culture change' to create a 'speak-up environment'
MPs bemoan continued "lack of cross-government leadership" and the varying approaches of departments
How should civil servants be preparing for the general election?
24 May 2024 Policy
How should civil servants be preparing for the general election?
The upcoming general election will be different from any other. Even if there are parallels, it's your role as civil servants to assume nothing, plan for different possible outcomes and think about ways of building trust with ministers from day one
Infected blood scandal: Report blasts 'defensive' civil service spin
21 May 2024 Policy
Infected blood scandal: Report blasts 'defensive' civil service spin
Call for senior civil servants to face new statutory duties over advice to perm secs and ministers
Despite ministers' promises to tackle churn, the civil service whirligig keeps on spinning
20 May 2024 Policy
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
NI power vacuum 'didn't affect Covid response', Sue Gray tells inquiry
20 May 2024 Policy
NI power vacuum 'didn't affect Covid response', Sue Gray tells inquiry
Former perm sec doubts presence of ministers would have improved on civil service efforts to prepare for "unprecedented" crisis
'The time is ripe for change': How to strengthen the UK’s energy resilience and security
08 May 2024 Policy
'The time is ripe for change': How to strengthen the UK’s energy resilience and security
Technological advances in the past 200 years have relied on a plentiful supply of cheap energy, something we can no longer depend on. Energy resilience requires an integrated and joined-up cross-departmental strategy
Guidance telling civil servants to ignore ECHR rulings on Rwanda flights comes into force
30 Apr 2024 Policy
Guidance telling civil servants to ignore ECHR rulings on Rwanda flights comes into force
"Parliament has legislated" to give ministers discretion on whether to comply with Rule 39 rulings, ethics chief says
Ethics is an enabler, not a barrier to effective policymaking
29 Apr 2024 Policy
Ethics is an enabler, not a barrier to effective policymaking
The ethical and regulatory challenges associated with developments in biomedicine, health and AI are set to intensify, writes the director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics
MPs accuse DWP of 'cherry-picking' evidence on Universal Credit impact
29 Apr 2024 Policy
MPs accuse DWP of 'cherry-picking' evidence on Universal Credit impact
Report says department has based its assessment of the impact UC to the labour market on "the most positive scenario"
Treasury faces 'even tighter' spending window, figures suggest
23 Apr 2024 Policy
Treasury faces 'even tighter' spending window, figures suggest
ONS says public sector borrowing fell more slowly than predicted in 2023-24
Starmer’s mission-led government is a noble aim, but needs a moonshot approach to governance
23 Apr 2024 Policy
Starmer’s mission-led government is a noble aim, but needs a moonshot approach to governance
To succeed, Labour should plan for its missions to be led by CEOs unencumbered by the usual Whitehall bureaucracy
'A lot of it is trying to spot unintended consequences': Meet DESNZ's award-winning net-zero systems team
08 Apr 2024 Policy
'A lot of it is trying to spot unintended consequences': Meet DESNZ's award-winning net-zero systems team
A tech team supporting the cross-government push to make the UK a net-zero carbon economy by 2050 has won a prestigious award for its work
FCDO 'neglecting disabled people' in international development work
08 Apr 2024 Policy
FCDO 'neglecting disabled people' in international development work
MPs say gender-equality spending is monitored in a way that that disability inclusion work is not
Free childcare expansion 'feasible', DfE says amid concern over provision of places
05 Apr 2024 Policy
Free childcare expansion 'feasible', DfE says amid concern over provision of places
But a potential shortfall of childcare places is a risk to the reforms, according to perm sec Susan Acland-Hood
Productivity puzzle corner: The Efficiency Wars redux
28 Mar 2024 Policy
Productivity puzzle corner: The Efficiency Wars redux
In a new series of articles, Professor Colin Talbot will explore public sector productivity in the UK. This issue is increasingly on the agenda of both main contenders as they vie to form the next government and is something that will likely occupy civil servants whoever wins
Departments 'face months of funding uncertainty', OBR chair says
13 Mar 2024 Policy
Departments 'face months of funding uncertainty', OBR chair says
MPs are warned that lack of detail on spending beyond March 2025 will hamper leaders' abilty to plan
Perm secs get flak over action to combat fraud and corruption
12 Mar 2024 Policy
Perm secs get flak over action to combat fraud and corruption
Public Accounts Committee chair questions commitments to transparency and flags "vagueness" on investment for recovery work
MPs voice value-for-money fears over ballooning government borrowing
05 Mar 2024 Policy
MPs voice value-for-money fears over ballooning government borrowing
Public Accounts Committee also flags concerns over loss of institutional knowledge at Debt Management Office
Civil service spending on temporary staff hit £7.4bn last year
01 Mar 2024 Policy
Civil service spending on temporary staff hit £7.4bn last year
Contingent-labour costs increased by 4.5% across government but Cabinet Office's bill soared by 20%
Government's 'fiscal rules' aren't working and must be reformed, IfG warns
29 Feb 2024 Policy
Government's 'fiscal rules' aren't working and must be reformed, IfG warns
Think tank's proposals would give departments a "minimum" of two years' worth of firm spending plans
Labour would introduce citizens' assemblies, Sue Gray says
19 Feb 2024 Policy
Labour would introduce citizens' assemblies, Sue Gray says
Civil servants “will not like this because they have no control”, former top official warns
Covid Inquiry: WhatsApp confusion, pandemic politicking and sidelining the secretary of state
02 Feb 2024 Policy
Covid Inquiry: WhatsApp confusion, pandemic politicking and sidelining the secretary of state
Nicola Sturgeon insists decision-making records have not been lost as ministers accuse former SNP leader of trying to score points against Westminster
Civil service leaders face new back-to-office performance regime
24 Jan 2024 Policy
Civil service leaders face new back-to-office performance regime
John Glen says he wants success with 60:40 rule factored into senior officials' yearly reviews