Government Tax Profession

Cabinet secretary says proposed purdah rule change is needed to eliminate legal uncertainty for ministers, and says civil service impartiality will not be undermined

Treasury says spending review - set for November 25 - will be a chance to "review the role of government"

Push for £20bn of departmental cuts begins today - with spending review conclusions to be set out on November 25

BIS and DfE urged to take "strategic" action over struggling colleges, while separate report confirms that the Skills Funding Agency's accounts have been qualified

Head of Troubled Families unit to chair review to try and ensure communities not left "left isolated or exposed to extremism"

PCS members in two-day walkout over "oppressive" Universal Credit working conditions, but department says plans in place for "smooth running" of the service

Former Treasury perm sec Lord Burns to review Freedom of Information laws and consider "safe space" argument, while Cabinet Office takes over responsibility for FOI from the Ministry of Justice

Letters published on Thursday night show that Cabinet Office perm sec sought rare ministerial direction over fresh grant to the charity, but Matt Hancock and Oliver Letwin say they had agreed "clear conditions" for the funding

Sir Michael Partridge given honorary degree from Middlesex University

Report by the spending watchdog says stronger central and local leadership "urgently required" to improve support for vulnerable young people

MoJ consults on plan to close 91 courts and tribunals and merge 31 more

Sir Simon Fraser expresses regret over lack of women on shortlist to succeed him as Foreign Office permanent secretary

Prime minister urges Whitehall officials to make communications "brief, simple, human and jargon-free"

Outgoing Foreign Office permanent secretary stresses the need for “balance” between the centre of government and individual departments ahead of further reforms

Justice secretary stresses that departmental non-execs – designed to sharpen outside scrutiny of Whitehall – are ministerial appointments, after overseeing shake-up of MoJ board

Scathing report on prisons estate from Nick Hardwick blames deterioration on staff shortages, over-crowding and "misguided policies"

Former health secretary says top civil servant's judgement "open to question" as MPs launch inquiry into "purdah" rule change ahead of EU vote

Minister for the Cabinet Office calls for "more collaboration on policy design" in spirit of the online encyclopedia

Waheed Nazir – director of planning and regeneration and chief planning officer at Birmingham City Council​ – gives an outside perspective of the civil service, and says Whitehall is improving the way it works with local partners

Throughout his premiership, David Cameron’s inner circle has remained remarkably consistent. Historian and author Anthony Seldon runs through the men and women who make 10 Downing Street tick

Cabinet secretary stresses that spending review will allow departments to make "considered decisions" on "size and shape of their workforces"

Union calls on Scots finance minister John Swinney to reject Chancellor's one per cent public sector payrise cap north of the border

What do David Cameron’s changes at the centre tell us about his government? Jill Rutter from the Institute for Government analyses the new team around the PM

Lowell Goddard orders civil servants not to destroy documents relating to the sexual abuse of children.