The Refugee Council has endorsed government plans to test immigrants' knowledge of English and UK institutions before awarding them British citizenship.
The government could be facing a 'defeat a day' at the Labour Party conference next month as unions prepare to vent their frustrations in up to five key policy areas.
Royal Mail faces a threat of industrial action from the Communication Workers Union while it tries to fend off plans from regulator Postcomm that it fears will damage its most profitable business.
The harsh realities of the local authority pensions 'black hole' hit home this week, when pension fund losses at Scottish councils were estimated at more than £2bn.
Tax increases to fund the government's programme of investment in public services have increased the average household's bill by £4,000 per year since 1997, according to a Right-wing think-tank.
Outsourcing firm Capita has been removed from an information technology contract by Norfolk County Council. The company had provided Norfolk's exchequer, payroll, pensions and operational IT services...
Councils will have to produce just eight major service plans by 2006 after ministers unveiled details of long-awaited cuts in the number of documents that must be submitted to Whitehall.
The...
A strongly-worded report by the Commons Treasury committee has questioned the competence of the Inland Revenue's leaders.
MPs looked into the tax credits backlog fiasco, the unauthorised suspension...
A timetable for the introduction of proportional representation in local government has been set out by the Scottish Executive.
In a consultation paper, the Executive says the Local Governance (...
A career civil servant from the Child Support Agency is to take over the helm at the Criminal Records Bureau.
Vince Gaskell, change director at the Child Support Agency, was appointed as the new...
The minister charged with tackling delays in housing benefit payments across UK councils has acknowledged that millions of pounds earmarked for improvements this week will not be enough to eradicate...
It is hard not to feel sorry for Inland Revenue chair Sir Nick Montagu.
With Treasury permanent secretary Gus O'Donnell intent on subjecting the Inland Revenue and Customs...
The government's anti-age discrimination proposals unveiled this week should not force employees to work until they 'burn out' before they qualify for pensions, Unison has warned
Local authorities may have to be stripped of their role in distributing housing benefit unless they can do better at tackling fraud.
That idea was flagged up in a report by the Commons' Public...
The possibility of a merger of the ombudsman services for local authorities, central government and health has receded indefinitely, local government ombudsman Tony Redmond has complained in his...
The Inland Revenue lacks ambition in its target of persuading half of all employers to pay tax and national insurance by the due date each month, according to the Commons' Public Accounts Committee...
A 'fuel poverty' scheme has misdirected millions of pounds of public money, and its eligibility rules bear no clear relation to applicants' need, a National Audit Office review has found.
The NAO...
The way that public money has been given to homeowners to improve dilapidated properties in Wales has proved susceptible to fraud, and changes to be introduced next month could escalate problems,...
The union representing prison officers has called on ministers to rethink the government's support for privately financed jails after a report by an influential spending watchdog claimed they were no...
Train services on some busy routes are likely to be cut after the Strategic Rail Authority adopted a new strategy to co-ordinate information 'that was missing at privatisation'.
The network...
Britain's public services are dogged by poor performance and high levels of customer dissatisfaction, while critics who believe privatisation has escalated problems are using the excuse as a '...
The government's NHS modernisation plans were boosted this week as the British Medical Association sent out ballot forms effectively urging its GP members to accept new contract proposals.
The...
Local government employers this week rubbished union proposals for a £6.50 an hour minimum wage in the sector, claiming it would add £2bn to council wage bills and force £100-a-year tax rises on to...
