Watchdog warns over UK furlough fraud and government contracts

National Audit Office says it will investigate procurement amid concern over level of furlough scheme abuse

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The head of Whitehall's spending watchdog has warned ministers there will be no excuse" if billions of pounds worth of fraud within government schemes continues under a second coronavirus lockdown.

Gareth Davies, the comptroller and auditor general at the National Audit Office, said there had already been significant" abuse of the furlough scheme and the bounce-back loan scheme, which would take months to identify.