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Ministers do not have the power to pick their preferred permanent secretary from a shortlist, first civil service commissioner Sir David Normington said last week, and any further reforms to the system of permanent secretary appointments would require legislation. Meanwhile the head of the civil service, Sir Bob Kerslake, has told CSW that the government currently has no plans to legislate.

Along with overall morale, perceptions of the quality of civil service leadership and management are slowly creeping up, according to the departmental findings of the latest Civil Service People Survey – though there are marked differences between departments in how staff rate their managers.

The Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ’s) outsourcing of court interpretation services has been “shambolic” and greatly harmed service quality, according to a report published today by the Commons’ Justice Committee

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) should set out an explicit industrial strategy for defence procurement, the Commons’ Defence Committee said in a report published yesterday. Such a strategy would ensure that procurement decisions take account of their likely impact on British businesses, rather than simply pursuing value for money.

The head of military equipment at the Ministry of Defence this week defended delays to major projects which were criticised in a report last month by the National Audit Office.

As councils take control of public health budgets and staff, the government’s chief medical officer Sally Davies tells Matt Ross why the reforms should enable all kinds of public officials to help take the pressure off the NHS

A council’s education expert explains to Philip Bevan the impact of recent reforms to the schools system.

Sir Nicholas Macpherson, the Treasury permanent secretary, last week praised the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the National Audit Office (NAO) for their work in holding departments to account despite the “discomfort” of his fellow permanent secretaries.

The government says that boosting our high-tech industries is key to getting the country’s economy moving again. But do its deeds match its words? Jess Bowie examines Whitehall’s work to support innovative businesses.

Less than a tenth of civil servants questioned by CSW believe the current model of financing trading funds is the best way to realise the coalition’s open data goals.

The civil service must make the most of expertise built up whilst preparing for the Olympics, according to a report published yesterday by the Institute for Government (IfG).

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There is a world of difference between an original piece of vintage furniture, and a modern copy of the same item. The former will be a reflection of its era but, since good workmanship stands the test of time, it should still look stylish and may even seem surprisingly modern. The latter, though it may be made from modern materials and nod to current fashion, runs the risk of looking merely old-fashioned and dated.​

Katherine Kerswell and Clare Sumner are heading up the tricky task of civil service reform. Joshua Chambers meets the dynamic duo leading the drive to shake up Whitehall’s skills, structures and working practices

As the British task force neared the Falkland Islands in 1982, cabinet secretary Sir Robert Armstrong sent prime minister Margaret Thatcher a briefing note raising the question of whether the UK should consider ceding some British territory in the south Atlantic to the Argentinians, documents released under the 30 year rule reveal.

As director of the Scotland Office, Alun Evans is in charge of Whitehall’s efforts to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom. Joshua Chambers meets the man coordinating a vast campaign encompassing most departments