Economy

Think-tank says business rates retention schemes will reduce central government’s financial flexibility and may not provide valuable insight

Perm sec Antonia Romeo lauds department’s ability to “highest-calibre talent” after recruiting John Mahon

Cabinet Office announces new measures to clamp down on late payments to SMEs in supply chain

Former transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin says collapse of contract “was a big mistake” but prompted review of rail franchise system

Question mark over £5bn 2020 target as 2016-17 sales bring in just £601m

Housing agency appoints FutureGov founder Dominic Campbell as interim chief digital officer

Some 2,000 staff to move to Salford in 2022, with 2,500 more to follow in 2027

The government’s Inclusive Economy Unit was set up less than two years ago to deliver social impact by collaborating across sectors. Tom Le Quesne, the unit’s head, tells Geoffrey Lyons about how government can support a changing business landscape that wants to achieve a social purpose as well as financial returns

Majority of magistrate’s and county courts sold since 2010 went to property developers, followed by private owners and local authorities

Report calls for Ministry of Housing to reclaim powers to support rural communities

Officials should seek formal directions when politicians set unrealistic timelines for commissioning, says boss of outsourcing giant

National Cyber Security Centre issues guidance on boosting security amid risk of blackout and data theft from Russian attacks

MPs find that warnings of poor governance were not picked up for local enterprise partnership covering Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough

Commons committee calls for clarification on rules and processes that will allow frictionless border arrangements to continue

A flagship industrial policy has made government think afresh about how it should support the economy. But will the plan have the staying power to influence decisions in the years to come?

Think tank says chancellor will trumpet lower annual borrowing but report a much bigger deficit than predicted two years ago

Union’s national executive calls for pan-Whitehall dialogue on ending pay cap with threat of national ballot on the strike action

Report highlights warnings of a ‘crisis-driven’ approach of local authorities increasingly focus on providing core statutory social services

Government “must not be naïve enough to assume that a verbal agreement to maintain the status quo constitutes a watertight guarantee” says select committee

As the UK celebrates the 11th annual National Apprenticeship Week, young staff explain what it’s like to work in one of Whitehall’s newest departments

Workers at non-departmental public body could walk out over office closure and other changes

Government refutes Public Accounts Committee suggestion it is being reckless on potential for hard exit from EU

Former DIT permanent secretary calls for the Brexit debate to focus on the evidence, following personal criticism from international trade secretary Liam Fox

MPs slam Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for needlessly complex contract but add that business department and Treasury cannot escape blame