How can govt bear down on error and fraud losses with data analytics?
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold a scrutiny session on the government’s use of data analytics to tackle error and fraud.
Meeting details
Government lost an estimated £55bn-£81bn to fraud and error in 2023-24. The National Audit Office (NAO) has found that the use of data analytics to tackle this issue have produced only modest savings compared to the amount which they could potentially achieve. It also found that the £6bn/yr which the Government Digital Service (GDS) believes government could save in this way should be read with caution, due to the fact it does not account for the costs or effort needed to achieve it.
Despite their potential to prevent losses, data analytics are not used widely by central government bodies. In an evidence session with senior responsible government officials, the PAC will explore the progress that the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) and the GDS have made in promoting analytics’ use for this purpose, and whether their plans to do so are robust enough.
Other potential topics for discussion include transparency in government’s use of artificial intelligence (AI), how the public can be assured that data analytics are being used appropriately, adequacy of central oversight and control of digital functions, and why centrally available tools which could help departments bear down further on fraud are not mandatory.