UK Parliament House of Lords completes committee stage scrutiny of the Public Authorities Fraud Error and Recovery Bill

UK Parliament’s House of Lords has completed committee stage scrutiny of the Public Authorities Fraud Error and Recovery Bill, concluding its line by line examination at the sixth sitting on 25 June. The bill aims to strengthen the prevention of fraud against public authorities and erroneous public payments, and to support recovery of money paid out due to fraud or error. Committee stage took place over six sittings on 4, 9, 11, 16, 18 and 25 June. Amendments on the final day addressed recovery of overpayments resulting from official error, the impact of the proposed law on people facing financial exclusion, and safeguards around fair process and human intervention. Earlier sittings also considered proposals on circumstances and vulnerabilities, investigators’ powers of entry, disclosure of bank statements, recovery periods from private bank accounts and appeal extensions, use of deputies for account holders, reports on public sector fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic, internal review requirements and deductions from earnings, and the creation of an Office of the Whistleblower for public sector fraud. Report stage, which provides a further opportunity to amend the bill, has not yet been scheduled.