Midlands Fraud Forum - Fraud Prevention: MPs call for 'stronger, more visible' counter-fraud leadership at MoD

Stronger, more visible counter‑fraud leadership isn’t optional - it’s foundational.

A timely intervention from MPs this week highlights a critical issue:

A need for clear ownership, visible leadership and cultural change in tackling fraud across complex organisations.

Key takeaways that resonate far beyond defence:

Leadership matters – fragmentation, weak ownership and siloed teams undermine outcomes

Culture drives effectiveness – fraud prevention must be treated as a strategic priority, not a compliance afterthought

Prevention over detection – too much focus remains on retrospective checks rather than proactive deterrence

For the counter‑fraud community, this reinforces a simple truth:

Strong frameworks don’t deliver outcomes — strong leadership does.

Across public and private sectors alike, we need:

✔ Clear accountability at senior level

✔ Integrated, cross-functional approaches

✔ Better use of data and technology

✔ A sustained focus on prevention, not just recovery

At MFF, this is exactly the conversation we need to keep pushing forward.