Home Office perm sec sets out plans to tackle compliance ‘weaknesses’
08 May Policy

Home Office perm sec sets out plans to tackle compliance ‘weaknesses’

Antonia Romeo tells MPs multi-million-pound asylum-accommodation failings exposed need for “incentivised culture-change”
by CSW staff
Simon Case: Reform UK could bring huge change to Whitehall
14 Aug Policy
Simon Case: Reform UK could bring huge change to Whitehall
Homes England names former HMPPS boss as chief exec
11 Aug Policy
Homes England names former HMPPS boss as chief exec
EHRC flags challenges posed by ‘socioeconomic duty’ requirements
07 Aug Policy
EHRC flags challenges posed by ‘socioeconomic duty’ requirements
King's Speech: Government will introduce duty of candour for public servants
17 Jul 2024 Policy
King's Speech: Government will introduce duty of candour for public servants
Plan confirmed in King's Speech as one of several "steps to help rebuild trust and foster respect"
Starmer launches 'root and branch' defence review
16 Jul 2024 Policy
Starmer launches 'root and branch' defence review
Former New Labour defence secretary George Robertson will lead exercise, which will report in "first half of 2025"
'No more beating up the civil service': McFadden promises officials a 'richer, more rewarding experience'
11 Jul 2024 Policy
'No more beating up the civil service': McFadden promises officials a 'richer, more rewarding experience'
Labour intends to create a culture of innovation and “learning as you go” for civil servants, CDL says
Don't get new ministers' briefs in a twist
02 Jul 2024 Policy
Don't get new ministers' briefs in a twist
Planning for new ministers is important, including studying all the manifestos. Just make sure those plans are flexible, as you never know what they will ask when they’re actually in office
Transition tips from a seasoned cabinet secretary
25 Jun 2024 Policy
Transition tips from a seasoned cabinet secretary
Gus O’Donnell on some key issues likely to face civil servants before and after 4 July
Next government 'must examine drivers of disability benefit spending, not rush to restrict'
21 Jun 2024 Policy
Next government 'must examine drivers of disability benefit spending, not rush to restrict'
Resolution Foundation calls for "serious strategy" involving the NHS and employers as well as DWP and the Treasury
IfG rejects claims a Labour 'supermajority' would be dangerous
20 Jun 2024 Policy
IfG rejects claims a Labour 'supermajority' would be dangerous
Think tank argues that any government's attitude to scrutiny is more important than majority size
Civil service reform: How do the manifestos stack up?
19 Jun 2024 Policy
Civil service reform: How do the manifestos stack up?
While the proposals were not front and centre, both the Labour and Conservative manifestos addressed the "how" of government
Progress on levelling up 'glacial', think tank says
19 Jun 2024 Policy
Progress on levelling up 'glacial', think tank says
Next government must be "decisive" if it wants to meet aims of levelling up white paper by 2030, IFS warns
Farage floats plans to slash £50bn from departments and cut taxes
18 Jun 2024 Policy
Farage floats plans to slash £50bn from departments and cut taxes
IFS says Reform proposals – which also include eradicating NHS waiting lists – "don't add up"
How to read a general election manifesto
18 Jun 2024 Policy
How to read a general election manifesto
A former civil servant who helped write a party manifesto explains how civil servants should analyse the all-important publications
Think tank makes argument for delivery units across government
18 Jun 2024 Policy
Think tank makes argument for delivery units across government
Reform paper makes series of recommendations to tackle barriers to effective delivery
Conservatives double down on disputed tax-rise claims
11 Jun 2024 Policy
Conservatives double down on disputed tax-rise claims
Party chairman flaunts letter from cabinet secretary as union seeks end to "opposition costings"
I worked for Blair's Delivery Unit – trust me that the next government needs a new approach to reform
06 Jun 2024 Policy
I worked for Blair's Delivery Unit – trust me that the next government needs a new approach to reform
Top-down targets simply don’t release the creativity and compassion in our public servants that all of us are going to depend on, writes a former perm sec
High Court hears civil service union's Rwanda scheme concerns
06 Jun 2024 Policy
High Court hears civil service union's Rwanda scheme concerns
Judicial review set to determine whether officials will be breaking the civil service code if they ignore ECHR requests to stop deportation flights
Preventative policy is a good idea, but politically tricky. What's needed to make it work?
05 Jun 2024 Policy
Preventative policy is a good idea, but politically tricky. What's needed to make it work?
Prevention is an attractive and perennial theme in public policy, but good intentions rarely translate into successful action. In the run-up to the election, a new consensus around prevention is emerging. Could it be different this time?
Public sector productivity drive 'unlikely to ease spending pressures', IFS warns
04 Jun 2024 Policy
Public sector productivity drive 'unlikely to ease spending pressures', IFS warns
Institute for Fiscal Studies predicts reduced waiting lists and courts backlogs will come before budget savings
Home Office under fire for lack of transparency on Rwanda plans
30 May 2024 Policy
Home Office under fire for lack of transparency on Rwanda plans
MPs have "little confidence" in department's ability to implement controversial asylum partnership "given its track record"
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