Operational Delivery

Officials should seek formal directions when politicians set unrealistic timelines for commissioning, says boss of outsourcing giant

Department insists automation drive is employee-led

Department forced to check 300,000 claims after tribunal ruling on flaws in employment and support allowance

MPs find that warnings of poor governance were not picked up for local enterprise partnership covering Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough

Update of 2012 rules explicitly identifies new entities being created as part of the UK’s departure from the European Union

Independent report says Northamptonshire has irreparably dysfunctional organisational structure and should be split up

Total cost of government preparation for Brexit likely as high as £2bn in the current and next financial year, according to IfG analysis

Home Office body gets stamp of approval for satisfaction strategy

Foreign Affairs Committee argues FCO failed to do sufficient crisis planning despite Caribbean’s known vulnerability to hurricanes

Workers at non-departmental public body could walk out over office closure and other changes

Government refutes Public Accounts Committee suggestion it is being reckless on potential for hard exit from EU

Cabinet ministers have dipped into a special pot set up by former chancellor George Osborne 

Officials outlined changes to rail franchising and told MPs trade unions refused to engage over Govia Thameslink franchise

Firm says bolstered transparency, a fair dealing ethos and more break-clauses should be introduced in wake of Carillion’s demise

Government insists agreed transition will have an end date, ahead of a Brexit war Cabinet meeting in Chequers 

Appointment means government’s biggest professional grouping will be one of only two headed up by a departmental perm sec

Department plans ‘modernisation’ of its work to collect more than £1bn owed to the government each year

Union says announcement of staffing milestone fails to acknowledge long-term headcount reductions

Inquiry by MPs found immigration and border system already understaffed, with problems likely to be compounded by uncertainty over Brexit

Report highlights the need for system to be in place before the UK leaves the European Union in May 2019

Civil Service Commission eyes relaxation of competition rules if they are “unlikely to secure suitable appointees”

The fall of construction firm turned outsourcing giant Carillion comes at a time when criticism of private provision of public services is rising. Richard Johnstone looks at Whitehall’s response and takes soundings for the future

Call for changes to insolvency rules to make it easier for companies to recover from financial difficulties

Tax agency will move 2,700 staff to second Scottish regional centre by 2021