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Written question asked by Julian Knight (Independent (affiliation)) on Monday, 6 February 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 8 February 2023. It was answered by Jeremy Quin (Conservative) on Wednesday, 15 February 2023 on behalf of the Cabinet Office.


Public Sector: Fraud

Question

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using new technology such as artificial intelligence to find and prevent fraud across the public sector.

Answer

The Cabinet Office’s Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) is investing in new technologies that will increasingly use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities to detect and prevent fraud. This includes the use of predictive analytics, a field of AI, that uses supervised machine learning techniques to predict the likelihood of fraud within a given area of spending.

For example a recent Cabinet Office contract award to build a Single Network Analytics Platform for the public sector, features AI and ML capabilities. This platform is for use by public bodies to access data that will help them identify fraud and actors who present a threat.

The PSFA’s approach is to ‘test and learn’ and to carefully apply AI and ML where appropriate, each time proving its merits, and then expanding where a viable use case exists.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
140192
Session
2022-23
Subjects
Fraud Public sector Technology
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk