Despite these arguments, DBT and HM Treasury also sought to reassure us that the government was serious about pursuing fraud.23 When pressed by us, DBT said it would reconsider the possibility of allowing local authorities to keep a proportion of 14 Qq 32, 36 15 C&AG’s Report, para 2.21 16 Qq 33–37 17 Q 27 18 C&AG’s Report, para 2.16 and Appendix One 19 Qq 13–14, 58, 75 20 Q 29 21 Qq 15, 28, 31 22 Q 19, 21, 28, 65–66 23 Q 67, 76 Local authority administered COVID support schemes in England 11...

Despite these arguments, DBT and HM Treasury also sought to reassure us that the government was serious about pursuing fraud.23 When pressed by us, DBT said it would reconsider the possibility of allowing local authorities to keep a proportion of 14 Qq 32, 36 15 C&AG’s Report, para 2.21 16 Qq 33–37 17 Q 27 18 C&AG’s Report, para 2.16 and Appendix One 19 Qq 13–14, 58, 75 20 Q 29 21 Qq 15, 28, 31 22 Q 19, 21, 28, 65–66 23 Q 67, 76 Local authority administered COVID support schemes in England 11 the payments they recover from fraudsters.24 DBT also informed us in the session and a subsequent letter that Karina McTeague, a non-executive director Type: conclusion | Number: 14 | Response status: accepted Government response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: December 2023 2.2 The planned non-executive directors (NED) review reported to the Committee has now been undertaken by the Chair of Department for Business and Trade (the department