HR

90% of business department's sites to close under BIS 2020 programme, says Sajid Javid, as Martin Donnelly calls decision to shut Sheffield office "one of the most difficult" of his career

Spending watchdog finds DfE has a "weak understanding" of the scale of local shortages and how to resolve them – but department says UK now has the "most highly qualified teaching workforce in history"

As Cabinet Office launches new government-wide set of commercial standards, civil service chief executive John Manzoni talks up recruitment of contract experts – and explains tricky balancing act of supporting departments "in an intelligent, helpful, and yet challenging way"

Contract renewed for two years as investigations into Libor scandals continue

National Audit Office report finds City of London Corporation, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Confederation of British Industry, and Deloitte topping list of providers of hospitality and gifts to senior officials — and calls for better central scrutiny of transparency returns

Prime minister unveils moves to scrap declaration of criminal convictions in initial application stage - as Whitehall's new chief people officer Rupert McNeil stresses that safety checks will remain in place

Proposals, which come hot on the heels of Treasury plans to curb exit pay across the public sector, have already drawn fire from the PCS, FDA and Prospect civil service unions

IPSOS Mori research finds four-point rise in those who trust civil servants to tell the truth — and strong trust among "Generation Y"

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

Treasury consultation confirms plans for wide-ranging shake-up of exit terms – with the FDA union branding the proposals an "ideological attack on public servants"

Common Technology Services chief Andy Beale to become deputy CTO – as government prepares to unveil digital strategy for the next four years

Core department announces plans to merge three London offices in favour of single site in Westminster

The anticipated decision to give Amazon director Douglas Gurr a non-executive role at the Department for Work and Pensions has been attacked because of the firm’s tax record

A new colleague-to-colleague counselling service has been created at the Cabinet Office in a bid to fill gaps in current help and support provision

Government hails major savings on government estate since 2010 and sets out plans to go further - but the PCS union warns "vital local services" will be undermined

Report by the Alliance for Useful Evidence and the Institute for Government finds officials held back by "structural and cultural barriers" between UK's various governments

Cabinet Office-commissioned report finds flagship Fast Stream graduate programme remains “unrepresentative of the population at large”, as minister Matt Hancock vows to take action

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Louise Haigh says BIS showed "lack of empathy" in St Paul’s Place closure announcement

Director general for Public and International Health to leave civil service in June after 26 year career

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

Freedom of Information requests show that Surrey PCC Kevin Hurley questioned Owens’ record as area’s chief constable

Reducing reliance on consultants and temps will require "much more fundamental workforce transformation" than seen so far, civil service chief John Manzoni tells MPs. But he says the organisation is "on the road" to addressing the problem

In correspondence seen by CSW, HMRC chief Lin Homer defends "robust and transparent approach" to redundancies – but "outraged​" PCS union says department has failed to consider all options

Chief secretary to the Treasury Greg Hands says his department’s five-strand programme – designed to put finance at the heart of government decision-making – is on course and delivering results