Jonathan Owen

Sir Derek Jones' successor as Welsh perm sec faces formidable Brexit in-tray
22 Aug 2016 Government Tax Profession
Sir Derek Jones' successor as Welsh perm sec faces formidable Brexit in-tray

Advertisement for the role of Wales' top official goes live – as first minister Carwyn Jones emphasises that Brexit means "fundamental change for Wales and the UK as a whole"
Departments ranked on time it takes them to deal with information requests
18 Aug 2016 Government Tax Profession
Departments ranked on time it takes them to deal with information requests

Institute for Government's latest "Responsiveness Ranking" paints a mixed picture of the way departments respond to requests for information
Civil service 'massively underestimates' local government talent – council chief
17 Aug 2016 Government Tax Profession
Civil service "massively underestimates" local government talent – council chief

Assistant chief executive of Birmingham City Council tells CSW that central government needs to stop telling town halls to you need to earn your freedom
Treasury pressure leading DWP to pass welfare laws without evidence – government adviser
16 Aug 2016 Finance
Treasury pressure leading DWP to pass welfare laws without evidence – government adviser

Chair of the government’s Social Security Advisory Committee says Budget and Autumn Statement deadlines have "regularly resulted in secondary legislation being presented to us without meaningful analysis of impact or interactions with other parts of the benefit system"
Interview – FCO Services chief exec Danny Payne: “Confidence has increased ever since we became a commercial entity'
03 Aug 2016 Commercial
Interview – FCO Services chief exec Danny Payne: “Confidence has increased ever since we became a commercial entity"

There’s more to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office than diplomacy and policy, with the government department harbouring one of the most overtly commercial operations in the civil service. Danny Payne, chief executive of FCO Services, tells CSW’s Jonathan Owen how the trading fund set up less than a decade ago has come of age
Civil servants should have more confidence in their abilities, says chief exec of FCO Services
29 Jul 2016 Commercial
Civil servants should have more confidence in their abilities, says chief exec of FCO Services

Confidence, and a more commercial attitude towards project delivery, leads to better outcomes, FCO Services chief executive Danny Payne tells CSW
Government accused of failing to crack down on profits of crime in “spectacular fashion”
05 Jul 2016 Justice & Home Affairs
Government accused of failing to crack down on profits of crime in “spectacular fashion”

Home Office permanent secretary Mark Sedwill is under pressure to take action and deliver better returns on the use of confiscation orders
Admiral Lord West: Defence officials running around like “headless chickens” in the wake of Brexit vote
05 Jul 2016 Brexit
Admiral Lord West: Defence officials running around like “headless chickens” in the wake of Brexit vote

Former Navy chief launches scathing attack on the government, accusing it of being unprepared for Britain electing to leave the EU, amid calls for a new Strategic Defence and Security Review 
Female spies on the rise as intelligence services look to boost diversity
23 Jun 2016
Female spies on the rise as intelligence services look to boost diversity

MI5, MI6 and GCHQ make strong progress on female hires, after a report by MPs warned all three intelligence services suffered from a "male mentality"
Former Home Office director Mary Calam takes up new job with McKinsey
22 Jun 2016 Government Tax Profession
Former Home Office director Mary Calam takes up new job with McKinsey

Watchdog ACOBA approves new job for Mary Calam, provided she does not use any “privileged information” from her time in the civil service
Procurement staff urged to keep an eye on cartel-like behaviour by suppliers
22 Jun 2016 Commercial
Procurement staff urged to keep an eye on cartel-like behaviour by suppliers

Competition and Markets Authority warns that cartels can lead to overcharges of 10% to 20%
Revealing personal info to your colleagues will make you a better civil servant, says Defra perm sec Clare Moriarty
21 Jun 2016 Civil Service Reform
Revealing personal info to your colleagues will make you a better civil servant, says Defra perm sec Clare Moriarty

The environment department’s top official calls on staff to confide in each other as a way of boosting morale in one of the government’s unhappiest departments