This is small potatoes. When the UK government really puts its mind to it, it can screw up far more royally:
How about 10 - 12 billion GBP (depending on who you ask) for a National Health Service computer system that never worked and was never delivered.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/18/nhs-records-...
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families...
https://www.henricodolfing.com/2019/01/case-study-10-billion...