The promised summer report on next year's Comprehensive Spending Review has yet to materialise, making it unlikely that MPs will be able to discuss it before the recess. But that's par for the...
The Scottish Executive has been told to review thoroughly its flagship policy of free personal care for the elderly after an inquiry found councils have insufficient funds to meet demand.
Almost 5 million families are missing out on state-assisted childcare because of current tax credit arrangements, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research.
The NHS in Scotland has made progress in reducing waiting times but might not be able to meet tough new targets, an influential parliamentary committee has warned.
Connecting for Health the NHS's huge National Programme for IT has been dogged by 'scope creep' and core 'spine' problems. But as its chief, Richard Granger, tells PF , plenty has gone right,...
Ahead of his CIPFA Conference fringe lecture, Lord Hattersley speaks to Joseph McHugh on getting too cosy with the private sector, the breakdown of the party machine and why he's counting the days...
Is 'public value' a useful tool for democratising public services or a load of airy-fairy nonsense? Colin Talbot sets out the case for taking it seriously
As the Gershon enforcer, John Oughton is the man charged with ensuring £21.5bn in efficiency savings roll in. So how is the public sector doing on its great mission, asks Joseph McHugh
While Labour and the Conservatives join battle over who has the most sustainable policies, public sector organisations are making some serious strides forward. Andrew Ross reports on an issue whose...
The NHS overspent its budget by more than £500m in 2005/06 and now has an underlying historic net deficit of £1.1bn, according to Department of Health figures.
The Liberal Democrats this week set out a radical new package of tax measures in a striking change of direction and a bid to win the backing of the low paid and middle Britain.
Councils will stand a better chance of securing a slice of business regeneration funding if they look at the lessons to emerge from earlier bids, researchers are warning.
Cabinet Office officials backed away from inflating savings targets for Whitehall's shared services programme because it was difficult to reflect improvements in services delivered, Public Finance...
Scotland's public sector watchdog has defended itself against claims by members of the Scottish Parliament that it might not be achieving best value following rising costs in its budget.
The Department for Education and Skills has pledged to review the new Dedicated Schools Grant following criticism from MPs and local authorities that it prevents funds being targeted at deprived...
Local government should seize the opportunity offered by the Lyons Inquiry and push for a model of local transport funding akin to that developed by Transport for London, the Local Government...
Scottish business leaders have given cautious backing to a proposal to hand a share of income tax, corporation tax and VAT directly to the Scottish Executive rather than to the Treasury in London.
The Treasury this week stood firm over its decision to administer tax credits from the Revenue and Customs department, despite claims that the system is 'in crisis' and should be moved to the...
The recent wave of primary care trust withdrawals from Local Area Agreements at short notice has highlighted the need to put LAAs on a firm legal basis. So why isn't the government doing so?
The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement's head marries 'lean-thinking' management-speak with NHS values. Sally Gainsbury meets a man of change
A committee of MPs has condemned the Department of Health's contracting and negotiation arrangements for GP out-of-hours services as 'scarcely believable', and 'a concealed pay rise for GPs'.
Senior civil servants will shortly be asked to sign a confidentiality declaration and assign copyright to the Crown for information relating to their work, under plans to prevent the publication of...
