Signal Procurement Act 2023 in force from February 2025

Summary

The Procurement Act 2023 came into effect in February 2025 and contains tougher measures against fraud and corruption in the public sector. Its central step is to bar suppliers posing unacceptable risks from government procurement processes. In the same section, the report cites an estimate that fraud and error cost the public sector at least 33 billion pounds a year, or 15p in every pound of taxpayer money. In the same vein, the government has appointed an Anti-Corruption Champion, pledged an Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2025, and pursues a comprehensive approach to economic crime through the Economic Crime Plan 2. The report argues that stronger investigation and enforcement against fraud raises public awareness and can reinforce trust in the authorities.