Recommendation 21

We asked about what needed to be done to improve the consistency of fraud and error reporting across the public sector. Cabinet Office told us that the introduction of the Functional Standards, a set of minimum criteria for dealing with fraud, is an important tool to increasing consistency of approach.52 It has also agreed a common definition of fraud and a common typology with all Departments reporting against this.53 Cabinet Office told us that the COVID-19 response has left many departments more exposed to higher levels of risk and loss than previously, but we are not aware of any other departments that have made public commitments to measure the extent of fraud and error in their COVID-19 schemes.54 Data sharing