IDS Accused of Misleading MPs over Cost of IT Failures

Iain Duncan Smith has been accused of misleading parliament after it emerged that the DWP could write off up to £161m spent on an IT system for ambitious welfare changes – more than four times what the minister said would be wasted.  The welfare minister also faces further embarrassing disclosures from PwC accountants who found that the universal credit system, which will allow the government to roll six welfare payments into one, has had little ministerial oversight. In one instance, a civil servant's personal assistant was allowed to sign off contracts, they found. The disclosures emerged at a public accounts committee meeting when officials from the department were closely questioned by MPs. Norma Wood, the head of the Major Projects Authority, agreed that the system would have to write off at least £140m. Read more on the Guardian website.