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Access to public geographic data is increasing, but not as fast as some would like. Ruth Keeling reports on a CSW online debate that explored the potential of – and the obstacles to – better use of government statistics.

To accompany the Budget last week, all the departments laid out their contributions to the £11bn efficiency savings that the government says must be found. Ruth Keeling and Joe Wedgwood set out the detail.

It’s been a struggle to move civil servants out of London – and relocations have barely touched the central departments. As Stuart Watson discovers, the government now wants to disperse core Whitehall functions.

The shared services agenda seems to be picking up speed again, with a recent prime ministerial speech and increased political interest. But what challenges remain? Matthew O’Toole listens in at a round table discussion.

Operational research may not be the best-known profession inside the civil service, but its head Tony O’Connor says that this cadre of analysts creates many benefits for policymaking. 

Amid the welter of anecdotes, advertisements and media reporting, what do civil servants actually think of major government technology suppliers? Matthew O’Toole details the results of an intriguing survey on IT in the civil service.

Stephen Lovegrove, the former banker running the Shareholder Executive, must dispose of high-value government assets such as the Channel Tunnel rail link. He tells Matthew O’Toole it will take expertise, but also good timing

Should civil servants use Twitter at work? Absolutely, online services minister Jim Knight tells Ruth Keeling. The government’s IT and its attitudes must both be brought up to date so that services can change with the times

Both major parties have pledged war on the proliferating numbers of public bodies; in the current economic climate, their future looks bleak. Matthew O’Toole reports from a sobering conference on the prospects for quangos

European Commission directives may be intended to create common results across Europe, but Ruth Keeling discovers that their transposition into national law varies widely – and there’s simply no data on enforcement.

Transport permanent secretary Robert Devereux has been a policymaker all his life – and now he leads the profession. He tells Matthew O’Toole that policymakers must listen to the frontline

Matthew Rycroft, who heads up EU policy at the foreign office, hopes to move the union on from a decade of institutional wrangling to tackle strategic issues. He tells Matthew O’Toole why it’s time to focus on the big picture

Richard Reeves is keen to stress that his think-tank, Demos, is no New Labour ‘poodle’, and has been striving to engage with the Tories. He tells Matthew O’Toole why it’s worth listening to – and why Whitehall might resist 

The Food and Environment Research Agency was launched with dreams of commercial development – into the teeth of the financial crisis. Chief executive Andrew Belton tells Ruth Keeling that he remains optimistic

A new report from influential think-tank the Institute for Government recommends a stronger, strategy-setting centre of government. Many see the logic, but wonder how it could be achieved. Matthew O’Toole reports.

In a world of cross-cutting issues, says Eleanor Goodison, our system of department-specific select committees has too narrow a focus. But despite calls for committees to take a wider view, the prospects of reform are limited

The government committed all Whitehall departments to paying invoices within 10 days in order to help business cash flow during the recession. Matthew O’Toole monitors progress, and asks if the rest of the public sector is keeping up

The recently launched Government of the Future Centre promises to bring together public sector reformers from all over Europe. Antoine Brugidou, one of the key partners, explains the centre’s work to Matthew O’Toole

As Margaret Thatcher’s chancellor and then foreign secretary, Geoffrey Howe was responsible for some of the era’s most contentious policies. He talks to Matthew O’Toole about governing the country in recessionary times

Only death and taxes are certain, they say. But Dave Hartnett tells Ruth Keeling that the profession isn’t that predictable 

As director general of the Attorney General’s Office, Peter Fish plays a key role in the complex structure of top Whitehall lawyers. He tells Matthew O’Toole why his boss’s ancient role is still so important in the 21st century

This week, a former mental health nurse explains why she left the profession just seven months after qualifying.

The Cabinet Office has launched a new strategy, setting out the future of information technology for the decade ahead. Ruth Keeling discovers ideas that could transform many government operations – including the ‘G-cloud.

This week we meet a police officer who works to identify and recover the proceeds of crime.

Sir Brian Bender’s Whitehall career ended last year after a stint leading the business department, but he watches government closely still – and has strong views on civil service reform and austerity. Matthew O’Toole hears them

Dominic Martin represents the UK at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, better known as the OECD. He tells Matthew O’Toole how Whitehall can get more out of the statistic-gathering organisation

Lisa Harker co-leads IPPR, the think-tank most closely associated with the New Labour era. But as Matthew O’Toole hears, these days she’s just as keen to engage with other political parties – not to mention Whitehall

The latest figures show that government bodies are making patchy progress towards their 2010-11 targets for sustainable operations. Ruth Keeling examines both what’s helping them improve, and what’s holding them back.

The money public bodies spend on artwork or sculpture for their buildings is often seen as a frivolous waste. Penny Johnson, director of the Government Art Collection, gives Ruth Keeling the counter argument

Lords reform, freedom of information, devolution, not to mention MPs’ expenses – policymakers and lawyers at the Ministry of Justice have had a busy decade. Ruth Keeling talks to constitutional issues chief Rowena Collins Rice

Planning inspectors may be small in number, but they have a crucial say in our country’s development. Head of profession Rynd Smith tells Matthew O’Toole what qualities they need

Having left the Sustainable Development Commission, veteran environment activist Jonathon Porritt can now speak freely on sustainability policy. Matthew O’Toole hears complaints that Whitehall has resisted change 

In a week when the weather has disrupted travel and brought a surreal dimension to life, Edward Garnier still manages to be amazed by the latest abortive coup against the prime minister.

This week’s public servant is a part-time postman at a Royal Mail sub-post office, with experience in a major sorting office.

Special advisers occupy a twilight zone between elected politicians and the formal structures of the civil service. In a special report, we profile these ‘spads’ – the group Clare Short called “the people who live in the dark."

As the top lawyer for two large Whitehall departments, Richard Heaton operates at the heart of the delivery environment. Here, he tells Matt Mercer about the role of government lawyers, and running his departmental law firm.