UK Inquiry Tracker

Government use of data analytics on error and fraud

Public Accounts Committee Open Inquiry

Opened: 17 Nov 2025 Parliament page

Government lost between £55bn-£81bn to fraud and error in 2023-24. There are central platforms for public bodies to use to detect error and fraud, and in the same year these generated around £400m of savings. Some have used data analytics to detect and prevent fraud and error for many years, … Read more Government lost between £55bn-£81bn to fraud and error in 2023-24. There are central platforms for public bodies to use to detect error and fraud, and in the same year these generated around £400m of savings. Some have used data analytics to detect and prevent fraud and error for many years, and a few are now trialling new technologies including artificial intelligence. The National Audit Office (NAO) found in July 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 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. The PAC found in 2023 that large gaps remained in government’s understanding of its exposure to the risks of fraud and corruption against government, while its 2021 report on fraud and error warned that government significantly increased taxpayer exposure to fraud and error by its twin decisions to drop basic fraud and error checks in paying out Covid-19 loans, and to support people and businesses that it had no prior relationship with. Proceeding from the NAO’s July report, the PAC will hear from senior government officials as it scrutinises how government can overcome barriers to using data analytics to save more of the taxpayer’s money. If you have evidence on these issues, please submit here by 23:59 on Thursday 18 December 2025. Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere. The Committee decides what information to publish and how. You can request anonymity or confidentiality when you send evidence, but it is for the Committee to say whether it will agree. It may treat submissions confidentially, even where you have not requested this. Please note that the Committee’s inquiry cannot assist with individual cases. If you need help with an individual problem you are having, you may wish to read the information on Parliament’s website about who you can contact with different issues. Show less

6 Recommendations

16 Conclusions

1 Report

1 Oral session

1 Letter

1 Event

Activity timeline 4 events

27 Mar
2026

Report published

75th Report - Government use of data analytics on error and fraud

16 Mar
2026

Correspondence

Letter from the Chief Executive of the Cabinet Office relating to Follow Up - Estimation of counter fraud outcomes following legislative ch…

15 Jan
2026

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

15 Jan
2026

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Committee event

Oral evidence sessions 1 session

15 Jan 2026

View on parliament.uk

Conrad Smewing · HM Treasury Emran Mian · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Mark Cheeseman OBE · Public Sector Fraud Authority

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
75th Report - Government use of data analytics on error and fraud	HC 891	27 Mar 2026	22	Overdue

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 result

3 Recommendation Rejected

75th Report - Government use of da…

We are concerned that government has not built the digital capability or senior digital leadership...

We are concerned that government has not built the digital capability or senior digital leadership it needs to achieve change and bring fraud savings from data analytics. Digital transformation will require strong leadership. The government accepted the previous Committee’s September … Read more We are concerned that government has not built the digital capability or senior digital leadership it needs to achieve change and bring fraud savings from data analytics. Digital transformation will require strong leadership. The government accepted the previous Committee’s September 2023 recommendation that all departments should have a non-executive director with relevant digital, data and technology transformation expertise on their Boards. While DSIT assured us that this is now the case at several key departments, this ambition has not yet been achieved across government. GDS intends for at least 10% of the civil service to be digital, data and cyber professionals, but in April 2025 only 5.5% of the civil service met this criteria, and GDS is concerned that civil service pay rates make it difficult to retain digital leaders and achieve the upskilling it needs. We were also disappointed to hear that DSIT is not proceeding with the appointment of a permanent secretary-level Government Chief Digital Officer. It is instead choosing a structure where two directors-general will report into the DSIT permanent secretary, with responsibility for supporting digital transformation across government and the digital products GDS builds and runs. We believe this is a shortcoming, and that a Chief Digital Officer of appropriate seniority would give DSIT much greater clout across the whole of government to make the massive digital transformation that is necessary. recommendation a. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology should mandate that there are digitally skilled leaders at board level in all government departments, and all ALBs where technology plays a key part in their ations. It should also mandate the appointment of senior digital specialists in each department and ALB. 4 b. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology should appoint a highly skilled Government Chief Digital Officer, at permanent secretary level, with the necessary authority and Show less

Government Response

The government disagrees with mandating board level appointments, but acknowledges ongoing digital skills gaps and is actively using its leadership to strengthen accountability.

HM Treasury

View details

Government Response AI assessment · 6 of 6 classified

Accepted 4

Accepted in Part 1

Rejected 1

Total 6 recs + 16 conclusions

Correspondence 1 letter

16 Mar 2026 To committee Letter from the Chief Executive of the Cabinet Office relating to Follow Up - Estimation of counter fraud outcomes following legislative changes, 12 March 2026

Parliament page