Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill Report Stage

The Committee Stage of the Bill was held from 27 February to 18 March 2025.  The Bill returned to the Commons for the Report Stage on 29 April 2025.

The Bill is intended to safeguard public money and protect the economic well-being of the country by reducing public sector fraud, error and debt, making provisions to better identify, prevent and deter public sector fraud and error and enable the better recovery of money owed to the taxpayer where public money has been stolen or overpaid. The Bill is estimated to deliver total benefits of £1.5 billion over the next five years.

There were four amendments selected for debate and all were lost.

New Clause 1: This new clause would delay any payments being taken from people who the Government may think owe repayments on Carer’s Allowance until the independent review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments has been published and fully implemented: Ayes 73:Noes 255

New Clause 10: This new clause would require the Secretary of State to apply to a magistrates’ court  for a liability order where a person has been found guilty of an offence under section 1 or section 11 of the Fraud Act 2006, or the offence at common law of conspiracy to defraud; that offence relates to fraud committed against a public authority and the person has not paid the required penalties or not made the required repayments: Ayes 10:1 Noes 258

New Clause 21: This new clause would amend The Social Security Administration Act 1992 to create an offence of encouraging or assisting others to commit fraud: Ayes 95:Noes 257

Amendment 11:  This amendment would limit the exercise of an eligibility verification notice to cases where the welfare recipient is suspected of wrongdoing: Ayes 85:Noes 238

The question was moved that the Bill be read a third time and passed with no objections.