We're required by law to protect the public funds that we administer. This means that we may share information you provide
to us with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering those funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud.
The Audit Commission appoints the auditor to audit our accounts. It is
also responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.
This involves matching computer records - usually personal information -held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body.
Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it indicates that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation.
No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or another explanation
until an investigation is carried out.
The Audit Commission currently requires us to participate in the National
Fraud Initiative (NFI), a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud against ourselves
and other organisations within the public sector.
We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Audit Commission
for matching for each exercise, and these are set out in the Audit Commission's
handbooks.
The use of data by the Audit Commission in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory
authority under its powers in Part 2A of the Audit Commission
Act 1998. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data
Protection Act 1998.
Data matching by the Audit Commission is subject to a code
of practice.
For further information on the Audit Commission's legal powers and the reasons why it matches
particular information, see the full text of the fair processing
notice on the Audit Commission website or contact Peter Yetzes, Head of NFI on 0844 798 2222 or email nfiqueries@audit-commission.gov.uk.
