Finance

National Audit Office warns shortage of key commercial and cost assurance experts could jeopardise £1.7bn savings target from non-competitive contracts

Steve Allen to leave government-owned company building new rail link after auditors slam unauthorised redundancy payments

Tax authority announces recruitment for top tax post will be limited to existing civil servants

GMB union accuses Treasury of “cover up” after data was not released until threat to refer department to Information Commissioner’s Office 

Protest set to cover Sheffield branch’s final three weeks

Sinn Féin and DUP given two weeks to agree new power-sharing deal or face Westminster intervention on budget

Geoffrey Lyons reviews two books on debt by men who had key roles following the financial crisis

Institute for Government report says universal pay hike could exacerbate Tories’ political woes amid £10bn spending hole

David Williams tells MPs that Department of Health cannot calculate impact of delays to repairs and maintenance spending

As inflation rate hits 3%, TUC warns higher cap on civil service pay increases in line with offer to police officers would still mean a real-terms pay cut

Union says Nuclear Decommissioning Authority cannot be held solely responsible for failings detailed by National Audit Office

The Home Office, environment department and HMRC are among those given new money to fund preparations for Brexit

PCS launches nationwide ballot on sentiment and readiness for industrial action

Deputy governor Sam Woods says slow progress in negotiations risks banks triggering contingency plans

Boost comes after Nicola Sturgeon promised to lift public sector pay cap in Scotland from April 2018

International development secretary announces reforms alongside code of conduct for staff and suppliers to tackle "crony" aid provision market

Offer to ‘transform pay system’ of weather forecaster follows legal action from female employees earning £7,000 less than male colleagues

FDA warned that any 2018-19 pay increase ‘must be fully funded to have meaningful impact’ as Boris Johnson calls for staff cuts

Government Property Unit releases numbers as Labour announces policy to nationalise private finance initiative contracts

Cabinet Office accounts reveal big hike in spending on interim workers to ensure key programmes are delivered

Shadow health secretary said Cabinet Office and Treasury would work together to review contracts

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour is working on policy implementation plans that could be handed to civil servants

Report predicts continued public sector pay restraint will lead to recruitment issues for employers of London-based, highly skilled workers