NAO: Weaknesses in Atos contract
The Government’s contract with Atos, the company carrying out medical assessments of people seeking disability benefits, has “weaknesses”, the National Audit Office has found.
The Department for Work and Pensions has also let Atos off for “under performance” and not set “sufficiently challenging” targets, according to the report which had been requested by Labour’s Tom Greatrex.
Mr Greatrex this morning criticised the lack of transparency around the Atos’ contractual arrangements, and said the NAO’s findings add to his concerns about the process. He argued the system needs to be "overhauled" to provide "a lot more scrutiny" about where public money was spent, dismissing the Government's argument that details could not be released because of commercial confidentiality.