Permanent Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Permanent Secretary, Home Office

Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport

From January, Lin Homer will become chief executive of HMRC

Prime Minister's National Security Adviser

Permanent Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions

Permanent Secretary and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, Ministry of Justice

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence

Permanent Secretary, Department for Education

Permanent Secretary, Department for Communities and Local Government

On 1 January, Sir Bob will become the Head of the Civil Service

Permanent Secretary, Number 10

On 1 January, Jeremy Heywood will become the cabinet secretary

In 2000, Tim Kelsey launched the private business Dr Foster to produce a league table on hospital performance. Now he’s been hired by the PM to push the transparency agenda throughout Whitehall. Matt Ross meets him.

An English teacher in a comprehensive school in a deprived area thinks Ofsted frameworks don’t help poorer pupils

The head of education at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, Adrian Pulham, tells Joshua Chambers that finance skills are more important than ever in government – and that they must be improved.

The permanent secretary to the Welsh Government, Gill Morgan, talks to Suzannah Brecknell about the ups and downs of administration in a small country – and explains how civil servants in England can help Wales to thrive.

For years, each department has run its properties in splendid isolation. And the coalition’s ‘property vehicles’ have yet to make an impact, discovers Ben Willis – but closer collaboration could produce big savings for the taxpayer.

Leadership development in schools could be improved, says this teacher, and workloads must be tackled.

Why is government so bad at online services? There are many reasons, Cabinet Office digital director Mike Bracken tells Suzannah Brecknell, but none are intractable. And the first priority is to listen to users more carefully.

Keith Vaz is the chair of the home affairs committee, and an acerbic critic of the Home Office and UKBA. Joshua Chambers hears him analyse the Home Office’s weaknesses – and give a rendition of a song about white flags.

Ed Davey, charged with mutualising the Post Office, argues that past mutualisations haven’t won the backing of employees. Suzannah Brecknell hears him discuss the challenges – and praise the power of ‘nudge’ technique

Treasury Solicitor Paul Jenkins is the permanent secretary champion for equality and diversity. His motivations are very personal but, as he tells Matt Ross, the strongest arguments for equality are rooted in business success.

The Freedom of Information Act divides both politicians and officials: some find it inconvenient and embarrassing; others praise its contribution to transparency. With reform looming, Joshua Chambers examines the arguments.

The Foreign Office once had a library filled with learned tomes; now the room is empty but for a lonely-looking snake. Joshua Chambers learns about the ‘Diplomatic Excellence’ programme, designed to restore lost expertise.

Last week, departments published figures showing their spending on a range of back office functions. Suzannah Brecknell analyses what they reveal about departments’ efficiency – and about the weakness of government data.