The New Zealand minister for the Civil Service, Dr Jonathan Coleman, was in the UK this week and spoke at New Zealand House about their government reform programme. This focuses on ten measurable results which address complex issues cutting across department boundaries, such as reducing the rate of assaults on children and cutting long-term...

It’s no secret that relations at the top of Whitehall have been strained in recent months, with frustrations played out across the press. Trust seems more fragile than ever. Against this backdrop, the issue of how much ministers should be involved in civil service appointments is, unfortunately, becoming seen as a front in a...

What do personnel changes tell us about political undercurrents? Often what we already know. Thus with Lords reform and the boundary review kicked into the long grass, it is unsurprising that Mark Harper has not been replaced as Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform, and his duties are instead being taken on part-time by...