Select committee: Public Accounts Committee
Conclusion 8
Sixty-Ninth Report - Tackling fraud and corruption against government
Published 8 Sep 2023
Addressed to HM Treasury
Public Accounts Committee Tackling fraud and corruption against government All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
We were interested to hear about how government was demonstrating leadership at the most senior levels on tackling fraud and corruption. HM Treasury explained the steps it is taking to change and embed the counter-fraud culture across the public sector. It has asked every major department to target a return on investment of at least £3 for every £1 spent on counter-fraud.16 It has committed to an investment of £1 billion since the pandemic on tackling fraud, including £900 million on DWP, over the period 2022–23 to 2024–25, from which it expects a return of £9 billion by 2028.17 Cabinet Office brought to our attention that as part of government’s wider investment in tackling fraud and corruption, the number of people working at the PSFA has increased from 60 to 150.18 HM Treasury has also implemented Initial Fraud Impact Assessments (IFIAs) with the intention of designing out fraud at the start of initiatives.19 IFIAs are rapid assessments of potential fraud and corruption risks in policies so that appropriate controls can be designed and put in place before implementation.20 In tandem with the creation of the PSFA, HM Treasury told us that these collective changes are testament to the resolve of government to tackle fraud and corruption.21 Gaps in government’s understanding of fraud and corruption risks
From: Public Accounts Committee, Sixty-Ninth Report - Tackling fraud and corruption against government (HC 1230), 8 September 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 18 November 2023 (deadline 8 November 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government agrees with most of the Committee's recommendations on tackling fraud and corruption against government, but disagrees with the recommendation for a separate annual strategic intelligence report.
- On a strategic intelligence report, the government disagrees. The PSFA "will not publish a separate strategic intelligence report", and says it will not publish information that could increase the fraud threat by showing how attacks could be executed.
- It will continue to publish annual Fraud Landscape Reports and bulletins. It says separating fraud from error requires determining intent, which is "cost intensive", so this is left to the discretion of individual departments.
- The government agrees the PSFA should update the Committee in 12 months on the outcome of the next Workforce and Performance Review, with a target implementation date of September 2024.
- On a cross-government communications strategy, the government agrees, with a target implementation date of June 2024. A working group "will develop and maintain a cross-government communications plan".