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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that local authorities are co-operating on calculating the level of (1) fraud, and (2) error, in business support grants administered.

BEIS continues to work closely with Local Authorities to minimise the risk of fraud and error, and to take action where this does occur. Local Authorities are required to undertake assurance activity for all COVID-19 Business Grant schemes, to ensure that the recipients were eligible to receive the funds and that funds were paid correctly. Where it is identified that an award of a grant was non-compliant, funding issued will be subject to recovery and all cases of fraud will be pursued. The Assurance and Debt Recovery Guidance can be found on the COVID-19 Business Grants page at Gov.UK.