Leadership

Government chief commercial officer Gareth Rhys Williams has set out ambitious plans to improve contract management across government. He tells CSW what has been achieved in the first six months of a new accreditation scheme

Select committees have a key duty to hold those who hold power to account. Former MP Huw Edwards looks at how they have changed in the 40 years since they were created, and what parliamentarians are looking for when they are taking evidence.

Department chiefs twice as likely to have attended a fee-paying school than a comprehensive, education charity says

Office for Disability Issues expansion hailed as a "bold statement from the government" to address injustices

They play an increasingly important part in parliament’s scrutiny of government and can inspire dread in even the most experienced perm sec. Forty years on from the creation of the modern select committee on 25 June 1979, Richard Vize looks at how they affect policy – and the lives of civil servants

The cabinet secretary says his leadership style is founded on three core elements. Beckie Smith reports on Civil Service World’s 2019 leadership lecture

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People

Laughter and tears as prime ministers, former colleagues and a pop star pay tribute to late cabinet secretary

Philip Rycroft has spent much of his career working on devolution – the biggest force for change in the UK’s government until the EU referendum. He led the Department for Exiting the European Union from 2017 to the end of March this year, helping government try to deliver the result of that referendum. Suzannah Brecknell caught up with him to find out more about why that’s been so hard, and what Brexit means for devolution. 

Former director general for EU exit has been interim permanent secretary since April

Department highlights training of mental health first aiders globally as part of its efforts to improve further

Grade 6 post will have join team developing the National Data Strategy

Theresa May announces boost to powers of Competition and Markets Authority to improve protection for consumers

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People

Department’s chief digital information officer tells Civil Service World about transforming working practices and service delivery at the UK tax authority, and why improving diversity starts with leaders who are self-aware

Seven months after launching recruitment campaign, department reveals interim digital chief will continue in role

Speaking at a think-tank event, Lord Macpherson also offered thoughts on the economy to incoming prime minister, while Treasury Select Committee chair said a full leadership contest is needed “so the maddest ideas perhaps don’t make it to asking for official civil service advice”. 

The scale, constraints and pressure of Brexit have very few comparators – and the clock is ticking. Is it any wonder that the complexity of trying to deliver it is keeping civil servants up at night?

Read CSW's list of civil servants honoured

New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People

In the latest of our series about civil service leavers, we meet former deputy principal private secretary to the prime minister Ed Whiting, who is now director of strategy for the Wellcome Trust

Public health professor has been a chief scientific adviser to government departments for a decade

Former Treasury second perm sec Sharon White to join retailer on far-from-undersold pay package

Civil servants could be either ‘too fresh or too jaded’ to maximise no-deal Brexit preparation for October, highlights think tank