Policy

Freedom of Information has been a "very big positive" in spite of "chilling effects", says Cabinet secretary

Minister for the Cabinet Office unveils plans for "digital fellowship" exchange on visit to Silicon Valley with government's CTO Liam Maxwell

Select committee to question OBR's Robert Chote after e-mails show Treasury seeks changes to wording of draft forecast

Speed of MoJ's responses to Freedom of Information requests comes under scrutiny from the Information Commissioner's Office

Number 10 stands by decision not to suspend the Northern Ireland Executive following resignation of NI first minister Peter Robinson

DfE perm sec tells MPs on the Public Accounts committee that Care Leavers Strategy – sharply criticised by the spending watchdog – marks "very important step" in improving support for young people leaving care system

Treasury minister Greg Hands tells pay review bodies to target higher rises in areas which would improve recruitment and retention

Chancellor asks public sector workers to contribute ideas to cut government costs 

BIS director general Bernadette Kelly to fill Clare Moriarty’s role as rail director general at Department for Transport

Justice department to run policy fellowships to expand “pool of people” delivering extensive reform programme

As the purse strings tighten, government departments are seeing the benefits of working together. Tim Gibson reports from a CSW roundtable that explored how best to make collaboration happen

Head of Troubled Families unit to chair review to try and ensure communities not left "left isolated or exposed to extremism"

Outgoing Foreign Office permanent secretary stresses the need for “balance” between the centre of government and individual departments ahead of further reforms

Justice secretary stresses that departmental non-execs – designed to sharpen outside scrutiny of Whitehall – are ministerial appointments, after overseeing shake-up of MoJ board

Scathing report on prisons estate from Nick Hardwick blames deterioration on staff shortages, over-crowding and "misguided policies"

Throughout his premiership, David Cameron’s inner circle has remained remarkably consistent. Historian and author Anthony Seldon runs through the men and women who make 10 Downing Street tick

What do David Cameron’s changes at the centre tell us about his government? Jill Rutter from the Institute for Government analyses the new team around the PM

Civil service must avoid culture of “delegating up” and take ownership of policy delivery, says civil service chief John Manzoni

"Robespierre terror" of Public Accounts Committee under former chair Margaret Hodge will be copied by more MPs, former health secretary warns officials

Sir David Normington eyes candidates with private sector experience as body overseeing civil service appointments seeks new commissioners

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”