Author Profile

Peter Riddell is one of Britain’s best-known journalists, a political commentator with 40 years’ experience. He tells Matt Ross how the civil service has improved, where it’s missed opportunities – and what happens next

The new National Security Council will draw a range of departments into crucial decisions on security. Matt Ross reports on the coalition’s attempt to win cross-government consensus in a complex and unpredictable world.

The UK's untidy system of public procurement is costing us millions, the NAO's Keith Davis tells Matt Ross; only a radical shake-up will ensure that cash is spent in a way that gets the best possible deal for the public purse.

The Civil Service Benevolent Fund has been helping civil servants for more than 120 years. But its chief executive tells Matt Ross that as demand for its services increases, the organisation is facing a painful resource squeeze.

From their standpoint outside government, some of Britain’s top professional bodies talk of the priorities for their colleagues in the civil service – and their fears that the professionalisation agenda will come under pressure in future.

The Civil Service Benevolent Fund has been helping civil servants for more than 120 years. But its chief executive tells Matt Ross that as demand for its services increases, the organisation is facing a painful resource squeeze

The UK’s untidy system of public procurement is costing us millions, the NAO’s Keith Davis tells Matt Ross; only a radical shake-up will ensure that cash is spent in a way that gets the best possible deal for the public purse

As head of the professional institute for procurement, David Noble is passionate about improving buying in government. It could be a powerful purchaser, he tells Matt Ross – but as things stand it’s being taken for a ride

The Tories’ Cabinet Office shadow – one of their few experienced ministers – wants to rebuild traditional civil service skills; but those traditional skills will be put to use on some fairly radical reforms. Matt Ross reports

Elected to the Commons in 1966 and a veteran of eight ministerial jobs, Michael Heseltine brought down one prime minister and became the deputy of the next. The businessman politician talks to Matt Ross

Elected to the Commons in 1966 and a veteran of eight ministerial jobs, Michael Heseltine brought down one prime minister and became the deputy of the next. The businessman politician talks to Matt Ross

Jill Kirby, director of the Centre for Policy Studies, blames big government for huge waste, ineffective policy, weakening the private and voluntary sectors – and, ultimately, even the recession. Matt Ross meets her

For Communities and Local Government permanent secretary Peter Housden, the challenges are combating the recession and developing localism. He tells Matt Ross that centralised targets and inspections are on the way out

Sir Leigh Lewis, permanent secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions, is not a noisy or aggressive individual. Nonetheless, he tells Matt Ross, he’s at the forefront of a revolution underway in the civil service

The government has been moving in the right direction on welfare and benefits reform, shadow work and pensions secretary Theresa May tells Matt Ross; it just hasn’t been doing so very cleverly, or very quickly

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments checks that there’s no impropriety when top officials and ministers leave government for the private sector. Matt Ross meets Lord Lang, the committee’s new chairman

Philippa Stroud is the director of the Centre for Social Justice, which plays a key role in shaping Conservative policy. Matt Ross learns about a strand of Tory thinking that stresses restoration rather than retribution

Once, interim managers concentrated on covering maternity leave. But now the demand is to cut costs – and civil service leaders are bringing in interims to plan and enact painful change programmes. Matt Ross reports.

In the first of a series of interviews with think-tank leaders, Matt Ross meets Andrew Haldenby: the plain-speaking director of influential, right-leaning think-tank Reform – and an ascerbic critic of the civil service

Without a coordinated approach to intervention in conflicts, both nations and departments can end up working at cross-purposes. Matt Ross meets Richard Teuten, who fosters over-arching UK strategies on armed struggles

This week’s interviewee works with young people leaving residential care, and is based in the social work department of a deprived, inner-city local authority in England.

Former information commissioner Richard Thomas has a new job: overseeing the government’s systems of administrative justice. He talks to Matt Ross about the challenges, potential and importance of both roles

Social entrepreneur Andrew Mawson has spent 25 years developing community projects, several of which have been adopted by government. But the public sector often kills the golden goose, he tells Matt Ross; to understand why, the civil service must recognise that “the way into the macro is through the micro”.

Paddy Ashdown, former Lib Dem leader and co-chair of the IPPR’s Commission on National Security, tells Matt Ross that we are ill-prepared for the challenges of a new era of globalised, decentralised power

The Homes and Communities Agency has its formal launch on 1 December, charged with fostering housebuilding and regeneration. The economic climate could barely be more daunting – but Matt Ross finds its new head, Sir Bob Kerslake, characteristically relaxed