£5BN Government Waste – Absolutely ‘Ludicrous’

Careless government departments have created a £5billion black hole in taxpayers money, figures have revealed.

It was squandered on a number of gaffes, according to the Taxpayers’ Alliance.

The Ministry of Defence was the biggest offender with £3bn losses. Its blunders include blowing £4million on Sea King helicopters that are no longer used and £7million on scrapped upgrades to armoured vehicles.

Elsewhere, education bosses lost £1.2m because a school payment went into the wrong bank account. And a cancelled Department of Work and Pensions online benefits programme cost £27million.

The figures, revealed in Whitehall accounts, will embarrass the government. Jonathan Isaby from the Taxpayers’ Alliance said: “Many of these losses are simply ludicrous. ”

“Iain Duncan Smith pontificates about the money he’s allegedly saving with welfare reform, he should be put in charge of stopping these unaccountable losses.”