Transparency data

Joint Fraud Taskforce board minutes: 18 November 2020

Published 23 July 2021

Virtual meeting

Attendees

• Mike Haley (Chair) (Cifas)
• Neil Masters (Cifas / JFT Secretariat)
• Alex Rothwell (City of London Police)
• Rachael Herbert (National Economic Crime Centre)
• Louise Baxter-Scott (National Trading Standards)
• Stuart Skinner (Nationwide)
• Adrian Gorham (Telefonica)
• John Formby (UK Finance)
• Graham Wynn (BRC)
• Sarah Lyons (NCSC)
• Kiera Harper (Home Office)
• Katherine McNulty (Home Office)
• Albina Paloi (Home Office / JFT Secretariat)

Item 1 - Introductions

1. Mike Haley, Chair of JFT and CEO of Cifas, welcomed board members to the second remote meeting of the JFT Management board.

2. The focus of this meeting was to provide an update on the future of the JFT, following discussion with the Security Minister (The Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP). This meeting was also an opportunity to provide feedback on the future structure of the JFT, before Home Office officials submit a proposal to the Security Minister on next steps.

Item 2 - Agree minutes and actions of 8 July 2020

3. No issues raised with minutes from the meeting on 8 July 2020.

Item 3 - Future of the JFT and update on sector charters

4. Mike flagged that his chairmanship of the JFT is coming to an end. He has been in discussion with the Security Minister to determine what happens next with the JFT.

5. Based on the feedback from his conversation with the Security Minister, and from various discussions with Home Office officials, the Security Minister has decided to retain the Joint Fraud Taskforce, recognising the brand and good will that we have created together. However, the JFT will be reconfigured as a Home Office lead with quarterly board meetings.

6. The Security Minister will chair these board meetings, giving industry an opportunity to engage directly at Ministerial level, with the aim of increasing accountability across this public-private collaboration. This reflects the importance of the JFT to the Minister and should facilitate improved buy-in from wider government departments.

7. By reverting to Home Office chairmanship, the JFT will be revived into an outcome-focused initiative. With a Ministerial chair, the JFT will have increased transparency, accountability and direct decision-making power.

8. Mike opened to the board for comments. No comments received

The JFT portfolio

9. Kiera Harper (Home Office) explained that Home Office officials will be consulting with the Minister on the exact structure of the JFT in December. Ahead of that, officials are gathering board member steers on potential options for the JFT’s structure and composition. This was a good opportunity for existing board members to shape the proposal for the future of the JFT.

10. Kiera provided details on the sector charters programme, which is currently being scoped with four industries (legal, accountancy, telecommunications and retail banking). The Home Office is working to develop bilateral sector charters with these sectors to go further to achieve the ambition to design out fraud. This is the first tranche of charters. It is expected that in 2021 the Home Office will look to work with other industries, including retail, insurance and social media. These will be action-focused charters – with specific deliverables for both industry and government.

11. Regarding how this programme of work fits with the JFT, Kiera noted that the Security Minister has agreed that the JFT will:

• be in place to assure progress against the first four charters with the retail banking, telecommunications, legal and accountancy sectors
• lead development and delivery of cross-sector actions, which fall beyond the scope of the sector charters
• create a forum to keep sectors who are not subject to the first tranche of charters (e.g. retailers and online platforms) engaged, with the intention over time to ensure that all members have charters for their respective sectors

12. Alex Rothwell (CoLP) asked whether the JFT will own the sector charter work and whether the JFT will drive the development of these charters.

13. Kiera Harper (Home Office) noted that the JFT will own the assurance of the delivery of the actions agreed to in these charters. It will not own the creation of the charters, which will sit with the Home Office.

14. Adrian Gorham (Telefonica) stated that these charters should be industry owned and led by industry.

15. Kiera (Home Office) agreed and welcomed proactiveness from industry.

16. Stuart Skinner (Nationwide) agreed that the JFT can play a useful role in delivering the sector charters, but for it to be effective we should take a holistic approach. The JFT should monitor and deliver all charters to address any cross-sector challenges and opportunities.

17. Sarah Lyons (NCSC) offered NCSC support to this work and the JFT. A lot of work is already happening between the NCSC and the private sector, but for this work to be effective it will require absolute clarity on actions - without blurring of remits within the fraud ecosystem.

18. Kiera (Home Office) agreed with Sarah and explained that the Home Office do not see JFT as a forum to deal with operational issues, which should continue to be the responsibility of CoLP, NCA and NECC. Kiera set out that the work programme is about tackling major changes within the fraud landscape in the long term, by working with every sector that has an impact on or enables fraud.

Discussion on the structure of the JFT

19. Kiera (Home Office) explained various options for the structure of the JFT, recognising that the Home Office wants the board to drive progress across the fraud prevention agenda; to be reflective of the counter-fraud ecosystem; and to keep the stakeholder community engaged. Options considered include the status quo, a larger or smaller board, a rotating board.

20. Adrian (Telefonica) suggested that smaller is better. He also suggested that the board does not require further HMG representation, one government department is enough and can feedback to the others.

21. John Formby (UK Finance) explained that having the regulators around the table will likely dilute discussions.

22. Alex Rothwell (CoLP) suggested that regulators play an important role in the fraud ecosystem and should be given a seat at the table.

23. Mike Haley (Cifas) noted that having NCSC around the table will be very useful, alongside representatives from the legal, accountancy and retail sectors. Aligning the board to the charters will provide a clear direction. Over time membership will expand, as and when other sectors work with the Home Office on the development of a sector charter.

24. Kiera (Home Office) suggested that another option could be a rotating board membership list. Each board meeting could focus on a specific charter, a deep dive, ensuring that the numbers around the table are kept minimal. Once a year a comprehensive board meeting will be held with all board members.

25. Louise Baxter-Scott (National Trading Standards) suggested inviting Citizens Advice to the board, to ensure the consumer and victim perspective is reflected.

26. Neil Masters (Cifas) raised that we should learn the lesson from the challenges of the JFT since 2016. A big board is too difficult to manage. A compact board is more effective and can be action specific.

27. Kiera (Home Office) summarised comments, the main steer is that a smaller board is preferred, with membership reflecting those industries that have a charter and / or are looking to engage on a charter.

Project management / working level group

28. Sarah (NCSC) raised the question of what sits under the new board and how will work be delivered.

29. Kiera (Home Office) suggested that a working level JFT group could be set up to support the board and to provide direction on the delivery of the charters. Kiera asked whether board members would be comfortable providing one representative from their organisations to sit on this working level group.

30. No comments provided by board.

31. Neil Masters (Cifas) suggested that the secretariat be kept separate from the officials group. This will ensure that the secretariat manages the administrative aspects of the board, but the commissioning of work is held by the officials group.

Stakeholders

32. Kiera (Home Office) explained that the existing stakeholder group is very broad and provides a range of expertise in the fraud ecosystem and which we want to build on.

33. The JFT Board will tap into the list of affiliate stakeholders on an ad hoc basis. If the board chooses to engage with an affiliate industry, the board reserves the right to invite a representative of that industry to a board meeting, by exception.

34. The affiliate industry list will:

• receive regular updates on comms and progress
• be invited to an annual JFT event on fraud; and
• be invited, by exception to board meetings

35. No comments from board.

Workstreams

36. Kiera Harper (Home Office) presented various options for how the workstreams will be structured.

37. The main steer from board members was that the workstreams should reflect the sector charter industries - (i.e. telcos; retail banking; legal; accountancy, etc.)

38. However, there should also be a mechanism for addressing cross-sector topics and for working with industries that are looking to develop a charter.

What happens to existing workstreams?

39. The configurable bank account workstream has now passed to the banks to progress. John Formby (UK Finance) will provide updates to the group as the banks review this initiative.

40. The collective response workstream is embedded in CoLP’s activity and the NECC continue to build capacity for greater public / private partnerships. As this work is now business as usual, we do not propose to retain this workstream.

41. The funds repatriation work will continue to be delivered through the Home Office, working bilaterally with UK Finance.

42. The banking and telco group, focusing on closing down vulnerabilities – with the aim of delivering the Economic Crime Plan action – will be delivered through the sector charters.

What happens to the website?

43. As the JFT is coming back under Home Office chairmanship, it is likely the existing JFT gov.uk page will be updated and will be the main source of information for the public on the website.

44. Mike (Cifas) offered to host the existing JFT website and manage it.

Action – Home Office to provide an update on the gov.uk site / website.

Item 4 - next steps

45. Mike noted that over the next few weeks Cifas will continue to work with the Home Office to narrow down the parameters of the updated JFT.

46. Mike flagged that the Home Office team welcomes any further recommendations and comments on the structure of the JFT and nominated representatives from organisations to attend the updated Ministerial level board.

47. Kiera stated that the next board meeting will likely be held in late January or February, to prevent a clash with the Economic Crime Strategy Board, and to coincide with the completion of the first tranche of sector charters.

Item 5 - AOB

48. Mike thanked Neil Masters for his support to the JFT over the last 2 and more years as he retires at the end of the year and thanked everyone for their support during his tenure as Chair.

Summary of all Actions

1. Action: All board members to flag who they would wish to recommend to attend the Ministerial level board.

2. Action: Home Office to provide an update on the gov.uk site / website.

3. Action: Home Office to confirm date of next meeting and send out papers in advance.