9
Accepted
We recommended in March 2025 that government’s planned digital and AI roadmap should be underpinned...
Recommendation
We recommended in March 2025 that government’s planned digital and AI roadmap should be underpinned by a implementation plan with clear accountabilities, delivery milestones, and metrics to allow progress to be tracked.19 The NAO report echoed this, further recommending that the PSFA publish a plan setting out how it will support public bodies across government to make the best use of data analytics to tackle fraud and error.20 DSIT published its Roadmap for modern digital government in January 2026, some six months later than was originally intended and 10 Q 26 11 C&AG’s Report, para 1.4 12 Q 5 13 Q 5 14 Qq 8-10 15 Qq 13-14 16 Q 26 17 Q 35 18 Q 85 19 Committee of Public Accounts, Use of AI in Government, Eighteenth report of session 2024–25, HC 356, March 2025, recommendation 6a 20 C&AG’s Report, Recommendation 1 10 around a week after our evidence session for this inquiry.21 While the strategy does mention some of the key issues such as enabling better use of AI and replacing outdated IT systems, it contains few concrete milestones to measure progress against and has little to say about using technology to combat fraud and error or what DSIT’s responsibility will be in this area. 21 HMG, A roadmap for modern digital government, January 2026 11 2 Overcoming barriers to achieving savings Digital capability and leadership
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation and commits to establishing a co-led counter fraud data analytics action forum by March 2027. This forum will agree, publish, and deliver an overarching plan, including exploring AI deployment and expanding data sharing across government to tackle fraud and error.
Government Response
Accepted
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: March 2027 2.2 The Government Digital Service (GDS), PSFA and Government Finance Function (GFF) recognises the value in working together to deliver a reduction in fraud losses through data analytics. 2.3 To deliver this, and building on existing well-established working relationships, GDS, PSFA and GFF will establish a co-led counter fraud data analytics action forum to agree, publish and deliver, an overarching plan that more effectively utilises data analytics to tackle fraud and error. 2.4 This will be composed of annual delivery plans and split across the remainder of the spending review period and align with the wider strategic vision set out in the government’s roadmap for a modern digital government, the Government Counter Fraud Functional Strategy and Shared Services Strategy for Government. 2.5 As part of this plan, the government will explore cases for deployment of AI to drive counter fraud detection and prevention, the integration of counter fraud controls into the NOVA platform and opportunities to expand the ability to share data across government for the purposes of tackling fraud.
Source
Committee
Public Accounts Committee
Report
75th Report - Government use of data analytics on error and fraud
27 Mar 2026
HC 891
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age
0.3 yrs
Report published
27 Mar 2026