Ex-minister rips into Treasury perm sec over fraud ‘complacency'
10 Mar Fraud, Error Debt & Grants

Ex-minister rips into Treasury perm sec over fraud ‘complacency'

Department a “Dad’s Army operation” when it came to keeping criminals away from the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, says Agnew
by Jim Dunton
DHSC ‘accelerating disposal’ of £4bn stockpile of unusable PPE
11 Aug Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DHSC ‘accelerating disposal’ of £4bn stockpile of unusable PPE
Stepping up the fight: How a new public body aims to protect taxpayers’ money from fraud
03 Aug Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Stepping up the fight: How a new public body aims to protect taxpayers’ money from fraud
Department for International Trade reports rise in fraud cases
02 Aug Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Department for International Trade reports rise in fraud cases
'We’re here to lock up the bad guys': using forensics to foil fraudsters
02 Aug Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
'We’re here to lock up the bad guys': using forensics to foil fraudsters
A huge diversity of people and roles make up the modern civil service. Colin Smith started out as a police officer before moving into the private sector. Now he leads forensics at HMRC
DWP overpaid £8.5bn in benefits last year, annual accounts reveal
11 Jul Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DWP overpaid £8.5bn in benefits last year, annual accounts reveal
National Audit Office dubs figure a “record level” and says it is £380m up on 2020-21
Public spending watchdog names eight ‘departments of concern’
26 May Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Public spending watchdog names eight ‘departments of concern’
PPE stockpile and backlog woes help DHSC top PAC chair's problem list
BEIS 'offered open goal to fraudsters’ with Covid loan schemes
19 May Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
BEIS 'offered open goal to fraudsters’ with Covid loan schemes
Public Accounts Committee says the department officials failed to properly warn ministers of how severe potential fraud levels might be
HMRC to open 12th regional hub later this month
11 May Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
HMRC to open 12th regional hub later this month
Manchester will open next as part of a strategy the department says will save it more than £300m by 2026
‘We did what we could as quickly as we could’: Treasury perm sec rejects Covid fraud complacency claims
29 Apr Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
‘We did what we could as quickly as we could’: Treasury perm sec rejects Covid fraud complacency claims
Tom Scholar told the Treasury Committee officials put together loan schemes under "exceptional circumstances"
A third of departments set to miss annual report deadline, Treasury says
26 Apr Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
A third of departments set to miss annual report deadline, Treasury says
2021-22 reports will include statements on the impact of the pandemic on departmental goals plus a fraud-and-error analysis of Covid schemes
British Business Bank chiefs question ex-minister’s claims on Covid loan fraud data
16 Mar Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
British Business Bank chiefs question ex-minister’s claims on Covid loan fraud data
Barclays boss tells MPs that HMRC could have given more anti-fraud help
Civil servants accused of ‘paranoid risk aversion’ over Covid support schemes
15 Mar Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Civil servants accused of ‘paranoid risk aversion’ over Covid support schemes
Ex-minister says entire board of British Business Bank should be sacked for Bounce Back Loan failings
Covid public inquiry hearings ‘will not begin until 2023 at the earliest’
11 Mar Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Covid public inquiry hearings ‘will not begin until 2023 at the earliest’
Revelation comes as inquiry chair puts draft terms of reference out to consultation
HMRC looks ‘soft on fraud’ over billions of lost Covid support, MPs warn
11 Feb Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
HMRC looks ‘soft on fraud’ over billions of lost Covid support, MPs warn
Public Accounts Committee blasts lack of ambition as department expects to write off “at least £4bn” in furlough and SEISS payments
A matter of tax: HMRC's Angela MacDonald on hubs, fraud and why she'd never leave Yorkshire Exclusive
03 Feb Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
A matter of tax: HMRC's Angela MacDonald on hubs, fraud and why she'd never leave Yorkshire
Second perm sec Angela MacDonald reflects on HMRC's role in the Covid response and EU transition, and what its massive office rationalisation programme means for levelling up
Tension grows between Treasury and No.10 over blame for pandemic fraud
27 Jan Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Tension grows between Treasury and No.10 over blame for pandemic fraud
Chancellor denies "ignoring" billions in fraud after minister quits over failure to tackle the problem
HMRC expects to recoup only a quarter of £6bn lost to Covid fraud and error
18 Jan Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
HMRC expects to recoup only a quarter of £6bn lost to Covid fraud and error
Department revises down estimate of taxpayers’ money it could get back by March 2023
CMA chief exec announces plan to step down
10 Jan Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
CMA chief exec announces plan to step down
Andrea Coscelli will leave regulator at the end of July after six years as CEO
'The last couple of years have had a science fiction feel': Gareth Davies on the NAO's Covid scrutiny and trials of remote work
03 Jan Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
'The last couple of years have had a science fiction feel': Gareth Davies on the NAO's Covid scrutiny and trials of remote work
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The National Audit Office boss tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid while pushing ahead with new challenges
Jim Harra: ‘Balancing HMRC’s priorities in 2021 felt like a high wire act’
29 Dec 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Jim Harra: ‘Balancing HMRC’s priorities in 2021 felt like a high wire act’
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The HMRC chief exec tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid as well as new challenges
National Crime Agency offers £223k for next DG
12 Dec 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
National Crime Agency offers £223k for next DG
Law-enforcement body launches recruitment drive for permanent successor to Lynne Owens
Anti-fraud checks on Covid loans 'inadequate', watchdog finds
03 Dec 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Anti-fraud checks on Covid loans 'inadequate', watchdog finds
Most measures were introduced "too late" to stop fraud, with focus on prevention
HMRC struggles to recover billions in overpaid Covid-19 support and tax debts
22 Nov 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
HMRC struggles to recover billions in overpaid Covid-19 support and tax debts
Taskforce likely to recover minority of support paid in error and fraud as NAO says department needs to increase its debt recovery capacity
Pandemic-driven flexible working progress saves hundreds of HMRC jobs
05 Nov 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Pandemic-driven flexible working progress saves hundreds of HMRC jobs
But department’s annual report estimates fraud in Covid support schemes topped £6bn in 2020-21
'Unfair' to criticise sky-high spending on Covid schemes, Sunak says
02 Nov 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
'Unfair' to criticise sky-high spending on Covid schemes, Sunak says
Chancellor defends £37bn spent on test and trace scheme and cost of furlough fraud
‘The vast majority have been thwarted’: minister praises DWP's fraud response
25 Aug 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
‘The vast majority have been thwarted’: minister praises DWP's fraud response
Will Quince claims Universal Credit system has ‘coped remarkably well: with challenges
NAO sounds alarm over DWP’s ‘record high’ fraud and error rates
20 Jul 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
NAO sounds alarm over DWP’s ‘record high’ fraud and error rates
Watchdog says department accepts pandemic response means overpayments will “remain significantly higher than normal for some time”