News

Once credited as the woman who “smashed Whitehall’s glass ceiling”, Bronwyn Hill spent four years as Defra permanent secretary until she stepped down in 2015. She tells Sam Macrory about her new role, Brexit expectations for her former fiefdom, and one minister’s time in the mire

Government rejects think tank's calculations which suggest the UK missed target to spend 2% of GDP on defence thanks to unexpectedly strong economic growth

HMRC programme director Mike Howes-Roberts calls for "honest and candid dialogue" with other departments as he confirms tax authority will not make full use of much-heralded GDS platform

UK Government Investments – which leads on the management and privatisation of state assets – seeks new director

Invotra's Paul Zimmerman walks through the company's efforts to make its intranet software as accessible as possible

Just before he stepped down as permanent secretary of the Welsh Government, Sir Derek Jones told CSW's Suzannah Brecknell why, despite the challenges ahead, civil servants should be confident – and why creativity is as important as penning an elegant memo

From pensions to student loans, actuaries play a vital role in analysis risk right across government. Here, the government actuary explains his work

Former head of the civil service's review for Labour says Treasury must "up its game" on financial expertise; do more to support regional growth; and stop "second guessing" departments

Government Digital Service director general Kevin Cunnington tells CSW's sister site PublicTechnology that government is “on track to finish" ambitious overhaul set out in the last parliament

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues on Dods People

Think tank says long-awaited vision has no detail on resource allocation and a telling absence of public support from prime minister Theresa May and chancellor Philip Hammond

Union cries foul over “unprecedented” redundancies made with 24 hours’ notice at rights watchdog

Proper management of outsourced services is the only way to avoid the contracting fiascos of recent years, argues the IfG's Tom Gash

Former minister tells watchdog MPs Whitehall has made "bad mistakes" in outsourcing IT projects

Report on full impact of delays with Common Agricultural Policy funds distribution says UK taxpayers will be left with £642m in penalties 

Government Transformation Strategy sets out plans to encourage a pro-digital culture change in Whitehall, with unified pay strategy for central government roles

NOMS chief executive Michael Spurr to lead new HM Prison and Probation Service, which goes live from April 1

Newly-released interviews by the Institute for Government offer a fascinating insight into politicians’ views of the Whitehall machine. They ain’t all that flattering, finds Suzannah Brecknell...

Some staff are still uncertain about joining the GCO, Institute for Government researchers find, though the reforms to improve commercial capability are already making an impact

Education department picks former Number 10 Delivery Unit chief to lead competition-focused new universities regulator

Ex-first civil service commissioner Sir David Normington calls for new guidance on the relationship between civil servants, ministers and special advisers, as he urges the prime minister and cabinet secretary to make a public statement on the need for impartial officials

CS Healthcare takes a look at how the 35-55 demographic can learn from the mistakes of their elders by taking steps to ensure good health

MPs quiz three departmental chiefs on the role of special advisers – and the impact of briefings against civil servants

Later this year, ownership of much of the government estate will be passed to a new Government Property Agency – with departments charged market-level rent for their offices in a bid to drive down costs. Mark Leftly listens in as the GPA's top team explains why the new approach to the government's estate is about more than just saving money