Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much his Department spent on tackling fraud in coronavirus business support schemes in (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.

It is difficult to put a figure on the total being spent on tackling Covid fraud as our response involves the contribution of many partners organisations.

• BEIS and BBB’s response includes:
  • Lender resource identifying fraud, providing information and intelligence for investigations/prosecution, referring appropriate cases to INSS and recovery procedures.
  • INSS resource for enforcement procedures against companies and directors
  • NATIS investigations, prosecutions and recoveries.
  • Collaboration with a wide range of law enforcement agencies
  • The core BEIS Covid loans team.

Funding for subsequent years will be determined through the current Business Planning Process.