The UK's untidy system of public procurement is costing us millions, the NAO's Keith Davis tells Matt Ross; only a radical shake-up will ensure that cash is spent in a way that gets the best possible deal for the public purse.

The Civil Service Benevolent Fund has been helping civil servants for more than 120 years. But its chief executive tells Matt Ross that as demand for its services increases, the organisation is facing a painful resource squeeze.

Following in the footsteps of local government, Whitehall is set to accelerate the outsourcing of services and functions. Stuart Watson monitors progress – and looks for lessons in some major recent outsourcing programmes.

From their standpoint outside government, some of Britain’s top professional bodies talk of the priorities for their colleagues in the civil service – and their fears that the professionalisation agenda will come under pressure in future.

The Civil Service Benevolent Fund has been helping civil servants for more than 120 years. But its chief executive tells Matt Ross that as demand for its services increases, the organisation is facing a painful resource squeeze

With seven years’ experience as a neighbourhood warden, this week’s interviewee now manages a team of wardens in a major English city

After all the talk of electoral reform, the Lib Dems have won a promise of a referendum on AV. Dr Ken Ritchie is distinctly underwhelmed.

The UK’s untidy system of public procurement is costing us millions, the NAO’s Keith Davis tells Matt Ross; only a radical shake-up will ensure that cash is spent in a way that gets the best possible deal for the public purse

No-one now doubts that Britain faces an era of public spending cuts – but we won’t be the first country to have dealt with them. Matthew O’Toole finds some encouraging examples of how other nations have coped in tough times.

Sir Richard Mottram enjoyed a wide-ranging and colourful Whitehall career, though he missed out on the top job. He talks to Matthew O’Toole about a life in the civil service, and gives his views on how best to manage reform

The government’s £220bn procurement spend offers plenty of potential for big savings. But as Emma Clarke finds, if government agencies are to make those savings, they’ll have to start working together much more closely.

This week’s interviewee works for the home ownership branch of a housing association

If the election produces a hung Parliament, civil servants will look to Scotland, which has seen both a coalition and a minority government. Ruth Keeling gets some tips from its permanent secretary, Sir John Elvidge.

For a decade, the devolved administrations have been altering services to suit their own populations. But as Shafik Meghji finds, when services diverge, the resulting cross-border tensions can hit service users.

As head of the professional institute for procurement, David Noble is passionate about improving buying in government. It could be a powerful purchaser, he tells Matt Ross – but as things stand it’s being taken for a ride

Cabinet Office minister Tessa Jowell has put aside her campaigning work to answer six key questions for CSW. Innovation, reform and careful planning, she says, will be required to cut costs whilst protecting services

The Tories’ Cabinet Office shadow – one of their few experienced ministers – wants to rebuild traditional civil service skills; but those traditional skills will be put to use on some fairly radical reforms. Matt Ross reports

IT chief John Suffolk may have taken a hands-off and inclusive approach to the development of his profession, but Ruth Keeling discovers that his attitude is not entirely laissez faire 

April saw the launch of a scheme which will result in departments paying tariffs for all their carbon emissions. The Environment Agency’s Tony Grayling tells Ruth Keeling about a radical move to improve sustainability

Elected to the Commons in 1966 and a veteran of eight ministerial jobs, Michael Heseltine brought down one prime minister and became the deputy of the next. The businessman politician talks to Matt Ross

If the election produces a hung Parliament, civil servants will look to Scotland, which has seen both a coalition and a minority government. Ruth Keeling gets some tips from its permanent secretary, Sir John Elvidge

Jenny Willott, the Liberal Democrat spokeswoman on the civil service, wants to defuse the row over public sector pensions with a fact-finding commission. She tells Ruth Keeling about the Lib Dems’ ideas for Whitehall

A CSW survey of civil servants reveals broad satisfaction with training provision, albeit with variations between grades, professions and departments. Ruth Keeling looks at the results – and the likely impact of budget cuts

As a civil service profession, psychology is embryonic. But NOMS head of forensic psychology Jo Bailey leads the largest cadre of psychologists in government. By Matthew O’Toole