Gareth Davies, the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) of the National Audit Office, has reported on the 2020-21 accounts of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He has qualified his audit opinion because of the material levels of fraud and error in COVID-19 business support scheme expenditure.

His report sets out:

  • the reasons and context for his qualified audit opinion in relation to fraud and error in the COVID-19 business loan scheme guarantees and COVID-19 business support grants; and
  • the Department’s current estimates of the level of fraud and error in these loan and grant schemes, including the levels of uncertainty in these estimates.

Annual report and accounts

Audit certificate and report (pages 124-134)

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