Policy

Public Administration Select Committee urges greater role for Cabinet Office in planning for the future and ending departmental duplication

Whitehall should be prepared to take responsibility for delivering programmes, says Troubled Families chief Louise Casey

Former chief whip defends impact of fixed-term parliaments in delivering legislative programme

US chief of staff says UK forces could be reduced to support role if Nato pledge is not met

First minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon says Scottish National party should be included in Whitehall pre-election talks

The civil service’s first chief executive has an ambitious agenda to define the next era of Whitehall reform – whatever those “damn politicians” might be planning. Jess Bowie meets him

Government should focus on working with mutuals and cooperatives rather than outsourcing to private firms, says Jon Cruddas

Prime minister to meet first minister of Scotland today

The Scottish National Party reacts to HMT chief Sir Nicholas Macpherson's comments on civil service role in referendum

Treasury perm sec Nicholas Macpherson acknowledges fears at HMT “about what minority governments lead to, and who pays for it” 

Current system prioritises marginal voters to the detriment of majority, says Labour’s policy chief

PAC chair Margaret Hodge takes aim at Cabinet Office following today’s NAO report on government payment pledge

Former cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell has warned his successor Jeremy Heywood to be ready for any number of scenarios after May 2015

Commons leader William Hague has insisted plans to restrict voting on English issues to English MPs will not hold up further plans for Scotland

Cultural change in the civil service proves to be the Red Tape Challenge’s silver lining according to Reform

Staff shortages in the UK Border Force (UKBF) are putting increasing pressure on staff and causing concern that they’re no longer able to effectively protect the UK borders, a survey revealed on the 4 December. 

Further cuts and reforms in Whitehall could save an extra £10bn by 2017/18, George Osborne announced in his Autumn Statement earlier today. But where are the cuts coming from?

Chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne is due to give his Autumn Statement today (Wednesday 3 December) at 12:30pm. So what can be expected?

Government and police officials must ensure all civil servants and police officers are aware of female genital mutilation (FGM) and how to tackle it, said parliamentary under secretary of state for communities and local government Stephen Williams (pictured), last week.

The government plan to invest £15bn in the ‘Road investment strategy’ over the next six years, the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin (pictured) and chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander announced this morning.

Government must do more to support part time working in senior Civil Service roles, said the minister for employment relations and consumer affairs yesterday. 

The Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act is on track to make savings but it is not clear whether the reforms have delivered better value for money, the National Audit Office (NAO) reported today.

Francis Maude’s tweaks to a core facet of our democracy have the support of key players. But what about everybody else?

Former cabinet secretary Lord O’Donnell has spoken up for evidence-based policymaking – an approach often distorted by poor data or trumped by anecdotes