The Ministry of Defence spends too much of its budget on military hardware and not enough on the armed forces' pay and housing, a think-tank has reported.
The timing could hardly have been worse. Job creation is the Northern Ireland Executive's top priority, Finance Minister Peter Robinson announced in his Budget.
The Highways Agency must rely less on external consultants, as 'poor commercial acumen' is leading to projects going massively over budget, MPs have said.
Ways to cope with the economic and social implications of an ageing society are at last on the government's to-do list. Public Finance and Deloitte convened a round table of politicians and policy...
The Comprehensive Spending Review held no surprises with only small increases in budgets. But how does this match with the rising needs of vulnerable older people, asks Anne Williams
The government wants neighbourhoods and communities to run more services. But with an eye-wateringly tight local government financial settlement, how will this be funded? Peter Hetherington...
A flagship government health policy designed to get GPs involved in the design of NHS services is failing to improve patient care, many family doctors believe.
A £250m contingency fund should be created by the Treasury to help councils facing unplanned costs and potential community tensions because of poor immigration monitoring, town hall leaders have...
Northern Ireland's first Budget since the restoration of devolution has seen a big increase in economic development spending at the expense of social housing.
Councils in Scotland will have access to a £70m fund if they agree to freeze council tax bills under proposals being considered by Finance Secretary John Swinney.
Anti-poverty campaigners this week expressed disappointment that the government's new Child Poverty Unit will not include Treasury officials, despite the department's role in achieving crucial...
Local government leaders and environmental campaigners are awaiting further details after ministers set out proposals allowing councils to trial 'save-as-you-throw' recycling schemes.
The government must press ahead with changes to the accounting rules governing the treatment of the Private Finance Initiative to demonstrate the role of these projects in improving public services,...
A council that was at the centre of a row over a redundancy and retirement package for its chief executive has been criticised for a lack of openness caused by 'unduly close' relationships between...
The government's commitment to the provision of psychological therapies is a significant breakthrough, mental health leaders have said, but care must be taken to ensure demand from patients is met.
'Personalised public services' is the Brown government's latest Big Idea. But how are the ambitious plans for round-the-clock GP services, individual health budgets and one-to-one tutoring going to...
The new chancellor's first Pre-Budget Report forecast a temporary dip in revenue and slowed the growth in spending. Both of these pose risks for the government's grand plans for public services
Senior MPs this week criticised the government's flagship academy schools programme for failing to control costs, with almost two-thirds of the first buildings running over budget.
