Fraud, Error Debt & Grants

MPs quiz three departmental chiefs on the role of special advisers – and the impact of briefings against civil servants

DfID's first Conservative secretary of state warns of "unprecedented attack from elements of the media" on the department's work to help the world's poorest

HMRC confirms it will look again at tax credits withdrawn by the US contractor

Fresh data flags more modest year-on-year savings, as Cabinet Office acknowledges that larger efficiencies "will only be achieved by total service transformation"

Total running costs fell by over 7% in 2015-16, Cabinet Office says, as it readies launch of "New Property Model" to charge departments rent on their holdings

Single Source Regulations Office seeks greater oversight of contracts for non-competitive military goods

Green light from the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee follows hearing in which he said the Government Statistical Service appeared to have been “downgraded” over the years

Appointments watchdog gives Air Marshal Sir Simon Bollom green light to set up consultancy and accept commissions – one of which involves MoD project

Rob Behrens, former director of the Cabinet Office's International Public Service Group, set to head up Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman after grilling from MPs

Cabinet Office report finds that Whitehall's move to digital happened at different rates in different departments, meaning information management was not properly re-assessed

Watchdog cites failure to get Treasury agreement for scheme's lifetime funding as contributing factor to the cancellation of a £100m competition

Gordon Brown's former strategy chief and easyJet CEO among additions to new department's board 

Rob Behrens tells MPs that office relocation and merged operations with local government counterpart can fund investment in complaints handlers

With a snap election looming after the Northern Ireland executive was brought down by a scandal over renewable heat incentives,  Alan Bermingham explores the governance and public finance implications of the Stormont crisis 

Minister Ben Gummer says his department is working with the Civil Service Commission to unwind coalition-era reforms – but questions remain over fate of staff already brought into government

Comes after supplier Concentrix "consistently failed to achieve more than half of its performance targets" during first year of its tax credit checks contract

Cabinet Office-commissioned study backs the “default presumption of full-cost recovery” for regulatory activities

ACOBA approves return to Suffolk County Council for review of councillor remuneration

Scheme delivers strong value for money and has exceeded targets, Independent Commission for Aid Impact says, but officials could do more to help national governments improve the way cash is delivered

Internal message to HM Revenue & Customs staff – seen by CSW – acknowledges that its estate overhaul will save less than expected, but dismisses talk of a major rethink as "just wrong"

NAO chief says it is time for the department to “step back and consider” its estates strategy as HMRC acknowledges its plans to close most offices will take longer, cost more, and save less than expected

First Civil Service Commissioner Ian Watmore seeks team "to help get the best people into the top civil service jobs"

Guidance refresh deletes entire section on creation of “Extended Ministerial Offices”

Public Appointments Commissioner concedes that not all of his Grimstone Review tweak proposals have been adopted