The aircraft carrier replacement programme has been dogged by indecision, delays and rising costs – and now a U-turn looms. Becky Slack examines one of Britain’s biggest and most dysfunctional public procurements.

As demand for traditional postal services declines, the Post Office is moving to occupy a new role assisting in the delivery of online public services. A week-long series of CSW seminars explored the implications for civil servants

Rigid structures and poor data limit the civil service’s ability to make use of its skills. But Stuart Watson learns that by mapping existing expertise, departments can set training priorities and move staff to where they’re needed

Funding has been cut for efforts to broaden student intakes. What now?

Under the latest pension reform proposals, civil servants will pay more and receive less; the government says this is its final offer, but the unions have not yet agreed to accept it. Becky Slack explains what’s on offer

Andy Nelson is a busy man. The Ministry of Justice’s chief information officer, he’s also now replaced Joe Harley as the government’s overall head of IT. Becky Slack meets him to learn about his plans for two rather hefty jobs

The last chair of the UK Statistics Authority was a fierce defender of the impartial and objective use of statistics. His replacement, Andrew Dilnot, tells Joshua Chambers how he intends to operate in this sensitive and important role.

DCMS permanent secretary Jonathan Stephens runs a small department with the job of helping people have fun. But Matt Ross learns that, these days, DCMS is focused on the serious business of earning money for UK plc

The number of ‘ministerial directions’ spiked in 2009-10, as accounting officers were asked to fund the economic stimulus in the run-up to an unpredictable election. Their numbers may rise again soon, finds Becky Slack

For years, departments have been free to purchase training as they see fit – but from 1 April, they’ll have to buy it through Civil Service Learning’s new ‘gateway’. Matt Ross examines a contentious and substantial reform

An inner-city school struggles to juggle the demands of disadvantaged pupils and national attainment targets

Communities and Local Government Committee chair Clive Betts has known Bob Kerslake for years, and doesn’t doubt his commitment to localism – but some departments are less enthusiastic, he tells Joshua Chambers

As head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Dr Malcolm McKibbin has a very challenging job. However, as he tells Joshua Chambers, the main challenge has evolved from ending the Troubles to stimulating business growth

A care manager says cuts can drive useful change – but uncertainty prevents it

The coalition is eager to digitise public services. But how can public organisations ascertain people’s identities when they’re meeting them down a fibre-optic cable? Becky Slack examines the challenges and the solutions

When things go wrong in government, a ministerial scapegoat is often sought. Joshua Chambers examines the convention of ministerial responsibility – and asks whether it still holds the power to unseat secretaries of state.

The IT industry likes the government’s direction of travel, its trade association’s public sector director Sureyya Cansoy tells Matt Ross – but businesses will be happier still when the coalition’s activity turns into real progress

The coalition has seized on the work of David Halpern and his Behavioural Insights Team with a vengeance. As Becky Slack finds out, the techniques of ‘nudge’ are set to change policymaking in every corner of government

After nearly 22 months, the Commons select committees’ first elected chairs have had plenty of time to size up their Whitehall counterparts. Joshua Chambers asked them how the departments they watch have been performing

The Fast Stream, which shaped many of today’s perm secs, is set to be drastically reformed. Joshua Chambers examines the emerging proposals to change how departments shape the future leaders of the civil service.

The loss of a train construction contract overseas has left coalition ministers arguing that civil servants should hand more contracts to UK firms. Stuart Watson examines the room for manoeuvre available within EU rules.

British Waterways chief Robin Evans has spent years campaigning for the public corporation to become a charitable trust. He tells Matt Ross why our canals are set to thrive outside the illusory security of government ownership

Nearly two years ago the prime minister met civil servants to set out his plans for reform. What impact are those reforms having on staff morale? Suzannah Brecknell reports on the third annual Civil Service People Survey

A doctor says the NHS’s priorities are all wrong: pettifogging rules are rigorously enforced, but the Working Time Directive is pretty much ignored