Corporate report

National Fraud Initiative 2016: personal data processing in Defra

Published 4 January 2017

This corporate report was withdrawn on

This document is now out of date and has been withdrawn.

Read the current Defra privacy notice for the National Fraud Initiative.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, including its agencies and public bodies for which it is responsible, is required to protect the public funds it administers. It may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for; auditing, or administering public funds, or where undertaking a public function, in order to prevent and detect fraud.

Data matching

The Cabinet Office is responsible for carrying out data matching exercises.

Data matching involves comparing computer records held by one body against other computer records held by the same or another body to see how far they match. This is usually personal information. Computerised data matching allows potentially fraudulent claims and payments to be identified. Where a match is found it may indicate that there is an inconsistency which requires further investigation. No assumption can be made as to whether there is fraud, error or other explanation until an investigation is carried out.

We participate in the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative: a data matching exercise to assist in the prevention and detection of fraud. We are required to provide particular sets of data to the Minister for the Cabinet Office for matching for each exercise. Further information about the National Fraud Initiative.

The use of data by the Cabinet Office in a data matching exercise is carried out with statutory authority under Part 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. It does not require the consent of the individuals concerned under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Data matching by the Cabinet Office is subject to a code of data matching practice.

Information on the legal basis for carrying out the National Fraud Initiative and reasons why it matches particular information.

Further information

For further information on data matching by the Defra Group contact:

Nathan Paget
Defra Group Chief Internal Auditor
Area 4B Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR

Email: nathan.paget@defra.gsi.gov.uk.