With the end of 2017 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2018 – and tell us what they cannot do Christmas without. Cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood kicks off our Whitehall roundup

With the end of 2017 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2018 – and tell us what they cannot do Christmas without.

With the end of 2017 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2018 – and tell us what they cannot do Christmas without.

BT talks with the futurists and visionaries preparing the UK for a digital future

With less than six months until new data-protection law is introduced, PublicTechnology hears from regulators and data professionals across central and local government about what they see as the major challenges facing them between now and 25 May

The former Treasury solicitor shares his reflections from a Whitehall career with Tamsin Rutter

How has Whitehall’s first modern-era apprentice fared since she joined the civil service in 2008 via a jobcentre advert? CSW meets Marzena Bujalska to find out

Surge in consumers’ use of messaging and social media is transforming their expectations of service, says new BT and Cisco research

Leaving the EU will have wide, and unpredictable, effects on the UK’s devolved administrations. Mark Rowe reports on what the outcome might be

When facing a policy puzzle, civil servants shouldn’t see trade associations as adversaries. As former trade body chair Sir Mark Boleat explains, they can be a useful resource for the savvy official

After a shaky start, the Crown Commercial Service is changing the way it works with departments in a bid to improve the government’s buying habits. But chief executive Malcolm Harrison tells Richard Johnstone that its success shouldn’t be measured by savings alone, as he sets out the frustrations – and fun – of cross-government working

The former second perm sec in the Department for Work and Pensions-turned benefits advisor has been both poacher and gamekeeper in Whitehall. He shares the lessons from both sides of the fence, including for Brexit, with Richard Johnstone.

Alina Sellman, head of the Centre for Social Impact Bonds, tells Geoffrey Lyons about the outcomes-focused contracts and why critics ought to give them a chance

After calling time on a long civil-service career earlier this year, the former Directgov and GDS leader discusses how digital government has evolved during the 20 years he spent as one of its leading advocates

Bureaucrat-turned-academic Gary Sturgess argues Whitehall needs to up its game on public service contracting and commissioning. Jim Dunton reports

Civil Service World brought together a panel of digital leaders to assess how government can make better use of the technology at its disposal to drive innovation in public service delivery. Colin Marrs reports

Tina Seth and Tony Shaw argue that we must invest in our policymakers, and offer lessons emerging from a cross-government forum on policy skills

Mark Bryson-Richardson, director of the Stabilisation Unit, tells Suzannah Brecknell how his team helps government respond to international emergencies

Civil Service World brought together a panel of data experts from across the civil service to look at ways of increasing public safety through the better use of data. Mark Rowe reports

After 21 months in government, Rupert McNeil, chief people officer and head of civil service HR, tells Tamsin Rutter about the importance of inclusive leadership and that the future of work is people, not technology.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy was created in July 2016 as part of changes announced when Theresa May became prime minister. Civil Service World met Angie Ridgwell and Jaee Samant, the civil servants responsible for the transition programme from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Energy and Climate Change, to reflect on the process. By Richard Johnstone

As head of HM Courts and Tribunals Service, the Ministry of Justice executive agency that runs the judicial system in England and Wales, Susan Acland-Hood is overseeing wide-ranging reforms to the operation of courts across the country. She tells Richard Johnstone how the changes will improve access to justice

Digital director John Sheridan tells Civil Service World's sister publication PublicTechnology about changes not only to how the UK’s official archive operates, but to the very nature of archiving

Technology may never replace the need for human civil servants, but our panel of experts recognised a direction of travel. Colin Marrs reports from a CSW round table