News

When Foreign Office letters on a plan to move the entire population of  Hong Kong to Northern Ireland turned up at the National Archives, many media outlets failed to spot the hoax. Former FCO official David Snoxell shares the story behind the correspondence, and warns against humour-free diplomacy

Energy secretary Amber Rudd calls time on household energy efficiency scheme

When it comes to strengthening their health systems, emerging economies are not short of challenges – and "leapfrogging" can help deliver real change rapidly

The countryside and climate change were strangely absent from the election campaign and the Queen’s Speech. Why – and what does this mean for DECC, Defra and the governance of the environment? Mark Rowe reports

Cuts made tactically may be unsustainable – the Treasury must use the 2015 review to reform public services in a lasting way

Philip Hammond tells MPs that while Treasury's 25% and 40% cuts call likely to be "aspirational", FCO must make "strategic" savings

Cabinet secretary says proposed purdah rule change is needed to eliminate legal uncertainty for ministers, and says civil service impartiality will not be undermined

Push for £20bn of departmental cuts begins today - with spending review conclusions to be set out on November 25

Annual report from the Civil Service Commission says senior civil service pay curbs could lead to loss of "some of the most talented" officials

BIS and DfE urged to take "strategic" action over struggling colleges, while separate report confirms that the Skills Funding Agency's accounts have been qualified

PCS members in two-day walkout over "oppressive" Universal Credit working conditions, but department says plans in place for "smooth running" of the service

Former Treasury perm sec Lord Burns to review Freedom of Information laws and consider "safe space" argument, while Cabinet Office takes over responsibility for FOI from the Ministry of Justice

Letters published on Thursday night show that Cabinet Office perm sec sought rare ministerial direction over fresh grant to the charity, but Matt Hancock and Oliver Letwin say they had agreed "clear conditions" for the funding

How Essex County Fire & Rescue Service procured cloud backup via G Cloud

Private sector organisations operate in a commercially competitive world and so the drive for them to adopt cloud technologies is huge. Paul K Jeffrey, technical account director for iomart,  outlines the different cloud options on the market

A first class and fully accredited data centre infrastructure can ease the nerves around public sector migration to the cloud. Colin Speirs, iomart's public sector bid manager, explores the relationship between the public sector and the cloud

Report by the spending watchdog says stronger central and local leadership "urgently required" to improve support for vulnerable young people

MoJ consults on plan to close 91 courts and tribunals and merge 31 more

Sir Simon Fraser expresses regret over lack of women on shortlist to succeed him as Foreign Office permanent secretary

Study carried out by advisory firm Deloitte suggests public sector still feeling lack of "culture, skills, governance and leadership" on digital

Outgoing Foreign Office permanent secretary stresses the need for “balance” between the centre of government and individual departments ahead of further reforms

PAC chair Meg Hillier accuses the DCLG perm sec of "sophistry" as Melanie Dawes seeks to explain communities department's handling of scheme to free up public land for new homes

Scathing report on prisons estate from Nick Hardwick blames deterioration on staff shortages, over-crowding and "misguided policies"

Former health secretary says top civil servant's judgement "open to question" as MPs launch inquiry into "purdah" rule change ahead of EU vote