Construction cartel whistleblowers offered £100k for tip-offs

Grant Prior 7 years ago
Share

Construction is being targeted by competition chiefs in their latest crackdown on cartels.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has seen a 30% rise in the number of tip offs about cartels.

Now CMA chiefs are turning the spotlight on construction with rewards of up to £100,000 on offer to whistleblowers.

The authority has been handed an extra £2.8m from the government following a string of successful prosecutions.

The new campaign encourages people to be “Safe, not Sorry” if they think they may have involved themselves in cartel activity and to make sure they are the first to report it to the CMA.

Witnesses – those not involved themselves but who have seen something untoward – are also asked to “Do the Right Thing” by reporting it to the CMA.

Stephen Blake, Senior Director for Cartels at the CMA, said: “We are committed to tackling cartels wherever we find them.

“More people are reporting illegal activity to us and we urge anyone with information to come forward.

“If you’re involved, it’s better to be safe, not sorry and to tell us about it first – before someone else does.

“For those who were not involved but have witnessed illegal activity, we urge them to do the right thing.

“We know that this is a sensitive issue and some people could worry about what might happen to them if they speak to us. All information is treated confidentially and we can discuss any concerns that people may have over keeping their identity secret.”

Over the past two years, the CMA has issued £151m in fines following successful investigations into anti-competitive practices and it is currently investigating 15 cases where competition law may have been broken.

The new campaign will target a range of industries that are at a greater risk of cartels forming.

These sectors include: construction, manufacturing and business support services.

 

Latest news

Historic property magazine to close

Estates Gazette has been in business since 1858
3 hours ago

M&S Marble Arch rebuild approved after three-year planning fight

Plans were delayed when Michael Gove backed carbon campaigners
1 day ago

£191m revamp funding approved for London Barbican Centre

Construction to start in 2027 on five-year programme
20 hours ago

RED Construction tops £100m turnover

Builder maintains profit margin at 1.7% as business nearly doubles in size
11 hours ago

Timber designs shortlisted for roads ‘footbridge of the future’

Three of five designs for National Highways propose timber structures over busy highways
12 hours ago

PM pledges to fast-track 150 infrastructure schemes

Fresh promise to speed up planning decisions on infrastructure and house building
1 day ago

Amey FM firm fined after legionella kills prisoner

Court fines company £600,000 for prison upkeep failures
11 hours ago

Buyers report boom in commercial work

Construction bucks slowdown in general economy
1 day ago

Plans in for £250m Stockport 8 housing-led scheme

Work to start on phase 1 by the end of next year
1 day ago

Galliford Try tops monthly contracts league

Contract awards slow down in November
1 day ago

Erith explosives set demolition record at Sizewell

Watch blast at former nuclear turbine hall: Video
1 day ago

Vistry to build 950 homes next to Olympic Park

Developer signed for £600m Pudding Mill Lane scheme in East London
1 day ago

Inflatable formwork used for 45m tall cement silo

Ground-breaking dome silo inflated at Tilbury Docks
1 day ago

Briggs & Forrester sells maintenance arm

100 engineers to move over to new owner
2 days ago

£2bn Edinburgh ‘West Town’ scheme approved

7,000 homes to be built at 205-acre site
2 days ago

Rayner approves Lancashire super prison

Communities secretary overrules planning inspector for 1,700 inmate prison.
2 days ago

Wates boss returns after collapse of his own contractor

Paul Nicholls was head of the failed Real construction group
3 days ago

Trio secure Birmingham deal to retrofit 3,000 homes a year

Specialist contractors to install insulation, efficient heating and solar panels
2 days ago

Costain confirms £400m HS2 tunnels win

Work to start early next year on tunnel and lineside mechanical and electrical systems
2 days ago

First nuclear reactor installed at Hinkley: Video

Watch precision operation at Somerset site
2 days ago

Winner named for Harbourside revamp

Local Irvine contractor to start transformation of beach front
2 days ago

New Fair Payment Code goes live today

Latest bid to get subcontractors and suppliers paid within 30 days
3 days ago

Lincolnshire concrete supplier files administration notice

Ever Readymix Concrete & Screed operates three depots and a fleet of 20 trucks
3 days ago

Graham lands first deal on Liverpool’s largest brownfield site

Contractor bags infrastructure package on 10.5 hectare site
4 days ago

Bouygues UK boss to step down

Fabienne Viala to leave after eight years at the helm
4 days ago

Galliford Try scoops £87m brace of London jobs

Firm will redevelop a prominent corner building on Sloane Street in Chelsea
3 days ago

New HS2 boss Mark Wild starts amid prep for final TBM drives

Former Crossrail CEO starts with a sharp focus on controlling costs
4 days ago

Ten consultants land Thames Water major upgrade places

Firms will share £400m of fee work over next five years
4 days ago

Rayner ultimatum to fix all unsafe tall buildings by 2029

Recladding work must start on all 18m+ resi buildings by 2027
4 days ago

ISG administrator finds just £35m to pay down £1.1bn debt

Failed firm was set to report £148m blackhole from legacy jobs
4 days ago

Contractor services