STORY
The Public Accounts Committee has warned that the Ministry of Defence is not doing enough to address a potential fraud and economic crime risk estimated at £1.5 billion a year. MPs said the department’s high spending, complex procurement and global workforce made it particularly exposed to fraud risks.
The committee said the MoD had recovered, on average, only 48p for every £1 spent on counter-fraud work over the last four years, well below the Government’s expected return of £3 for every £1 spent. It said the department had suffered from weak ownership, siloed working and a lack of strategic leadership on fraud prevention.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Conservative chair of the committee, called for a radical change in culture within the department. The MoD said the figures largely related to the previous Government and said its most recent return had improved to £1.34 saved for every £1 spent on counter-fraud activity.