National Fraud Initiative

This authority is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

The Audit Commission appoints the auditor to audit the accounts of this authority.

It is also responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against

other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they

match. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows

potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is

found it indicates that there is an inconsistency that requires further investigation.

No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other

explanation until an investigation is carried out.

The Audit Commission currently requires us to participate in a data matching

exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to

provide particular sets of data to the Audit Commission for matching for each

exercise, and these are set out in the Audit Commission’s guidance, which can

be found at the Audit Commision National Fraud Intiative website.

The use of data by the Audit Commission in a data matching exercise is carried

out with statutory authority under its powers in Part 2A of the Audit Commission

Act 1998. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the

Data Protection Act 1998.

Data matching by the Audit Commission is subject to a Code of Practice. This

may be found at Audit Commission National Fraud Intiative Code of Practice website.

For further information on the Audit Commission’s legal powers and the reasons

why it matches particular information, see the National Fraud Intiative website.

For further information on data matching at this authority contact Audit Services on 01384-814837.

Contact Details

Name:	Audit Services
Address:
Tel:	01384-814837
Contact:	General Contact Form

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