Project Delivery

Report by MPs says Eurostar sale was managed well but that government used "over cautious assumptions" and should do more to build in-house corporate finance knowledge

Project "Ocean Liner" reportedly mulls insourcing and says there is "no consistent advice" for dealing with IT challenges across government

Tax authority's chief executive Dame Lin Homer is grilled on plans to cut HMRC's office network from 170 smaller offices to 13 regional centres

New report by the National Audit Office spending watchdog finds that while departmental spending on consultants and temporary staff has plummeted over last five years, latest figures indicate a “short-term reduction rather than a sustainable strategy”

National Audit Office says Department for Work and Pensions has improved oversight of Employment and Support Allowance tests - but warns of "perpetuating cycle of optimistic targets, contractual underperformance and costly recovery"

National Audit Office raises concerns over the number of transformation projects government is undertaking, as report notes that over a third of major projects due to be delivered this Parliament may be unachievable

Emergency services will be encouraged to share back office functions under plans outlined by the Home Office

Chief executive of the tax authority awarded in New Year's Honours list - while DWP perm sec Robert Devereux is knighted

Senior Department for Transport official – who has served as deputy director for high speed rail strategy – will head up George Osborne's Commission

National Audit Office finds trust deficits becoming “normal practice” 

After a scathing report on problems with the digital overhaul of the system for paying EU subsidies, spending watchdogs Meg Hillier and Amyas Morse criticise behaviour that was "distressing to staff and visibly confrontational"

Plans to grant councils power to raise money for social care could lead to big regional variations, warn care sector leaders

National Audit Office survey finds concern among government's digital leaders over their ability to recruit and retain staff – but there's support for many Cabinet Office intiatives to sharpen tech skills

New 'specialist' payscale to help recruitment, staff cuts at the Cabinet Office, Single Departmental Plans, the future of civil service reform, details on a brand new leadership academy – as the civil service chief executive and minister for the Cabinet Office face MPs, CSW tries to keep up...

Chief executive of the Defence Equipment and Support agency says fresh Trident cost estimates are proof of an end to a culture in which the MoD has been "unrealistic about the numbers"

GDS to get an extra £450m, Spending Review confirms

Defence committee takes evidence on the Strategic Defence and Security Review – with decision to axe 30% of MoD's civilian staff coming under fire from academics

The Department for Transport has addressed the causes of the failed West Coast rail franchise, the NAO spending watchdog finds – but risks remain to future competitions as work on HS2 delays the new West Coast franchise by six months

Stinging report by the Public Accounts Committee says government funding to the collapsed charity was “never seriously questioned, let alone stopped”

Insitute for Government report says there is "insufficient recognition" that "less money will often mean doing less" – and urges clear statements of intent from new single departmental plans

Geoffrey Spence to step aside as Infrastructure UK merged with major projects watchdog

HM Revenue and Customs chief executive says low staff morale is not damaging productivity – but acknowledges more work to do to make officials feel engaged with wider department

Cross-government SDSR to be unveiled two days before the Spending Review

Public Accounts Committee says it is surprised DfE "did not take a stronger leadership role" in support for care leavers amid "disappointing service provision"