Skills Funding Agency supervises A4e audit

The Skills Funding Agency is to work alongside White & Case LLP, appointed fraud auditors by A4e, over doubts of a cover-up paid “independent” review. What A4e means is an audit conducted externally, but its hardly independent when two major factors come into play:

1) A4e are paying (White & Case is providing a service to A4e); and
2) A4e has control of the documents in the first instance (they can hold back or delay document handover).

It is interesting (despite the positive twist in all the press) how the Skills Funding Agency doesn’t trust A4e (Skills Funding Agency  getting involved isn’t merely to “help” – fraud is a serious crime – its not giving a helping hand to painting a room or a rescue operation) and although the A4e contracts from Skills Funding Agency is very small compared with the DWP contracts, the  Skills Funding Agency is not prepared in any circumstances to let A4e just get on with it alongside a professional firm who happens not to pay corporation tax.

Elsewhere, the DWP seems content in letting A4e get on with it while they tag along with their half-hearted attempt at digging at the surface to look for serious fraud… not going to happen.