Civil Service World

Stay informed with news, insights, and analyses from the sole independent professional publication accessible to every senior official across the UK.

National

English

Magazine

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#236524

United Kingdom

#14581

Law and Government/Government

#354

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

‘Unworkable’: Former senior civil servants question new public speaking rules

1 day ago | civilserviceworld.com | Tevye Markson

Former senior civil servants have warned the government’s new rules on senior officials speaking in public are "outrageous" and "unworkable". The Institute for Government yesterday raised concerns about new internal government guidance banning senior and mid-ranking officials from speaking at events with Q&A sessions, or where media are expected to attend.
Ministers sign charter pledging extra support for terminally ill civil servants

1 day ago | civilserviceworld.com | Tevye Markson

Ministers and civil service unions have signed a charter on behalf of the civil service, pledging to provide more support for terminally ill staff. Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Cabinet Office minister Georgia Gould, and Justin Madders, the minister for employment rights, signed the Dying to Work Charter yesterday on behalf of the civil service. It was also signed by leaders of the PCS, FDA, Prospect, POA, GMB and Unite unions.
Devereux review highlights ‘deep seated issues’ at ONS

1 day ago | civilserviceworld.com | Jim Dunton |Susan Allott

An independent review of performance and culture at the Office for National Statistics has found “deep seated issues” that require a restructuring of the organisation’s top leadership. The exercise, conducted by former Department for Transport and Department for Work and Pensions permanent secretary Sir Robert Devereux, has called for the separation of the role of national statistician and permanent secretary of ONS to drive change.
Starmer: Sue Gray was ‘wrong person’ for chief of staff job

1 day ago | civilserviceworld.com | Tevye Markson

The prime minister has said he made the wrong choice in appointing former senior civil servant Sue Gray as his chief of staff last year. In an interview with biographer Tom Baldwin, published in the Observer today, Starmer said: “Not everyone thought it was a good idea when I appointed her. It was my call, my judgment, my decision, and I got that wrong.
Scottish Government civil servants ‘won’t be disciplined’ for not attending office

2 days ago | civilserviceworld.com | Tevye Markson

Scottish Government officials won't be disciplined for refusing to go into the office, permanent secretary Joe Griffin has told MSPs. Appearing at the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee on Tuesday, Griffin was asked if officials would be disciplined for refusing to go into the office. The Scottish Government permanent secretary replied: "No. We’re not on a simple refusal to come to the office.
MHCLG: PCS announces 'indefinite' industrial action at 21 offices

2 days ago | civilserviceworld.com | Tevye Markson |Jim Dunton

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government officials will take “indefinite” industrial action from next week over office closures and attendance polices. PCS has announced that its members in MHCLG will begin action short of a strike, which will see civil servants work to contract and refuse to comply with non-contractual policies and processes.
Ex-No.10 Policy Unit head Munira Mirza to play key role in think tank targeting 'Whitehall bureaucracy'

2 days ago | civilserviceworld.com | Beckie Smith |Tevye Markson

Munira Mirza, a former director of the No.10 Policy Unit, will chair the advisory board of a new think tank that says it will “build a detailed blueprint for government”. Fix Britain – which describes itself as “a group of senior people with experience in the civil service, business, politics, media, law, the military and the NHS” – says it wants to tackle problems caused by poorly trained ministers and policies that are “thinly sketched out and readily discarded”.
New rules on officials speaking in public will have 'chilling effect' - IfG

2 days ago | civilserviceworld.com | Tevye Markson

The Institute for Government has warned that new internal government guidance banning officials from speaking at events with Q&A sessions, or where media are expected to attend, is "counter-productive". The think tank said the new restrictions on civil and public servants will lead to worse policy and decision making – reducing public understanding of government policy and making it harder for officials themselves to understand external perspectives.
'A truly co-designed, collaborative effort': How the Evaluation Task Force shook up its annual conference

2 days ago | civilserviceworld.com | Tevye Markson

“It’s a dirty secret that we spend a trillion a year in Britain and we don’t know what works,” David Halpern told CSW in 2023, bemoaning the lack of evaluation in government. In the same interview, however, Halpern expressed hope about the establishment of the Evaluation Task Force, which was set up in 2021 as a joint unit between the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. The unit, he said, meant “we now have a big chunk of the British government that’s serious about evaluating success”.
The sweet spot: How to get the right balance between strong accountability and not over-burdening small government bodies

3 days ago | civilserviceworld.com | Sian Jones |Tevye Markson

We live in challenging times. With each emerging political or public policy conundrum – whether domestic or international – it feels as if the next one is just around the corner. Anyone arguing that public bodies tasked with managing these complex issues have it easy is playing devil’s advocate.