Recommendation 25

Cabinet Office and the PSFA told us that while local government does not explicitly fall under their remit, they still provide support to local authorities through various means. Local authorities can make use of the data-matching functionality of the National Fraud Initiative. Local authorities have access to the resources of the counter- fraud profession and members of the profession work in local government. And under the new procurement legislation, people could also be barred from local government procurement.78 HM Treasury, however, confirmed that central government does not monitor local government’s management of fraud and corruption risks.79 73 C&AG’s Report, COVID-19 business grant schemes, Session 2022–23, HC 1200, 24 March 2023, para 7, 12 and 14 74 Committee of Public Accounts, Oral evidence: Local Authority administered COVID grant schemes, HC 1234, 11 May 2023, Qq 13–14 75 Q 92; C&AG’s Report, para 1.23 76 Q 92 77 Q 93 78 Q 93; C&AG’s Report, Figure 10 79 Q 94 18 Tackling fraud and corruption against government