News

Reducing reliance on consultants and temps will require "much more fundamental workforce transformation" than seen so far, civil service chief John Manzoni tells MPs. But he says the organisation is "on the road" to addressing the problem

In correspondence seen by CSW, HMRC chief Lin Homer defends "robust and transparent approach" to redundancies – but "outraged​" PCS union says department has failed to consider all options

Productivity plan "must avoiding collecting dust on Whitehall bookshelves" by including concrete measures of success, BIS committee says

Report by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee says that final round of funding to the beleaguered youth charity — subject to a warning from then-Cabinet Office perm sec Richard Heaton — "should not have been authorised"

Chief secretary to the Treasury Greg Hands says his department’s five-strand programme – designed to put finance at the heart of government decision-making – is on course and delivering results

FDA general secretary Dave Penman says HMRC staff should not be blamed for internet giant Google’s controversial tax deal

BIS minister Anna Soubry answers urgent question on department's decision to leave Sheffield and outlines plans for new regional centres

London Borough of Islington has approved the appointment of a supplier to deliver an ICT solution to join up social and health care records in a contract worth £10m.

A care home manager discusses how the pressures facing the sector – including budget cuts and high staff turnover – impact on some of the most vulnerable people in society

New research shows Whitehall departments are good at sharing data with each other, but openness with the wider public sector is more of a challenge

Lord Grocott reviews Chris Austin and Richard Faulkner’s Disconnected! Broken Links in Britain’s Rail Policy

Civil service unions criticise BIS’s decision to shut its Sheffield office – placing 250 jobs in jeopardy – and warn further job losses will follow

BIS permanent secretary Martin Donnelly announces plans to axe department’s Sheffield operation and create a “combined HQ and policy centre in London”

Think tank report says lack of guidance from central government and Whitehall capacity issues have frustrated local leaders’ efforts to take on more powers

Civil servants will always need to be honest, impartial, objective, and act with integrity – but we must make sure we don’t encourage passivity or inertia

Whitehall tops this year's Times Guide to Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

Microsoft reviews some of the big trends that will define government transformation in 2016

"Contingent Labour One" will be replaced with a "Temporary Worker Contracting Vehicle", as CCS places heavy focus on digital skills and hints at smaller lots

Microsoft explores how smarter working can help the government embrace a more flexible approach to governing

Microsoft examines the complex path to Government as a Platform

HMRC's Jim Harra says critics of deal with Google are misunderstanding corporation tax rules – but Labour's John McDonnell renews attack on "very poor deal"

Nick Hardwick – who clashed with the MoJ over spending controls – is to become chair of the Parole Board

FDA and Prospect urge the Senior Salaries Review Body to back a front-loaded 4% payrise and warn of "divisive" attempts to boost the pay of only a limited number of specialists

As the government's chief scientist says Blockchain technology could "revolutionise services", Jeni Tennison of the Open Data Institute examines some of the benefits to the public sector in taking a leaf out of Bitcoin's book