Well, despite plentiful opportunities for DWP to get a grip on run-away rumours, we see again how politics takes priority over transparency and honesty, and fuels speculation of a cover-up.
Everyone with an interest in government funding and welfare-to-work programmes especially will be well aware of long-standing concerns over fraud allegations at major government contractor A4e. I’m one of those who sees attempts to suppress and sweep such concerns under the carpet as massively damaging to the industry (see my earlier blog ). Much of my work comes from supporting companies in this sector, so I declare a vested interest not in hushing it up, but in getting it out!
As predicted, the government yesterday put their political interests above the need for honesty when their Select Committee decided to keep new whistleblowers evidence private.
This is after A4e had already claimed they had been “cleared of fraud” by DWP and SFA, and despite DWP yesterday confirming that 11 separate investigations were continuing. And Newsnight got their hands on a leaked A4e internal audit, and police investigations into allegations of fraud at A4e continues with at least seven arrests made… and … what else?
Come on! This really does not need sweeping under the carpet.
Paul Hesp's blog 