Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted
The Department has not prioritised developing relationships with international criminal justice agencies.
Recommendation
The Department has not prioritised developing relationships with international criminal justice agencies. Government estimates that around 70% of fraud cases have an international element, meaning that strong relationships with foreign and multinational criminal justice agencies are crucial to tackling fraud. The international dimension of fraud cases often causes long delays to investigation in securing the necessary evidence. The NCA is looking to improve multilateral co- operation to prevent and disrupt fraud. It reports that it has built good relationships with some countries, for example it has been working with counterparts in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, and India, but it accepts there is still much more to be done. However, despite this, the City of London Police is currently scaling back its international capacity building work as it has insufficient resources to do this alongside upskilling police officers in the UK. Recommendation 7: The Department should set out, as part of its Treasury Minute response, how it will achieve a step change in the breadth and strength of its international relationships as part of its efforts to tackle fraud. 8 Progress combatting fraud 1 Government’s approach to combatting fraud
Government Response Summary
The government will develop stronger partnerships with international partners to share best practice and work together to reduce fraud globally, including a Home Secretary chaired Global Fraud Summit in 2024 to agree on an international coordinated action plan.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. government will develop stronger partnerships with international partners to share best practice and work together to reduce fraud globally. The government will work more closely with law enforcement, the private sector and the international community to further develop our evidence base and to drive forward greater intelligence and information sharing. This will support co-ordinated and targeted efforts to disrupt fraudsters before they can reach the UK public. The government’s international work is already underway, and we have established an international working group to identify mutual areas of interest. This engagement will culminate in a Home Secretary chaired Global Fraud Summit in 2024 where we will aim to agree an international co-ordinated action plan to dismantle fraud networks.