Fraud

(asked on 7th February 2022) - View Source

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the (1) effectiveness, and (2) efficiency, of the (a) Serious Fraud Office, and (b) Crown Prosecution Service, in tackling (i) fraud, and (ii) economic crime.


Answered by
Lord Stewart of Dirleton Portrait
Lord Stewart of Dirleton
Advocate General for Scotland
This question was answered on 21st February 2022

We are determined to make the UK a more hostile environment for all forms of economic crime – including fraud. As prosecuting agencies, both the CPS and SFO play a critical role in this aim and continue to deliver strong operational results.

We have strengthened our fight against economic crime through publication of a landmark Economic Crime Plan in July 2019, which brings together government, law enforcement and the private sector. We are making measurable progress in delivering the Economic Crime Plan with 34 of the actions complete and work well advanced on the remaining 18.

In 2020-21, the CPS prosecuted over 6,500 defendants for Fraud with an 85.6% conviction rate. The SFO successfully secured orders requiring the payment by defendants of almost £1.3 billion to the taxpayer over the past five years.

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