OFT?gotcha!

[james armstrong]

the corporate builders are crooks of the largest orders This letter has gone off to Ombusman  to-day.

Parliamentary Ombudsman
Parliamentary Service,
Millbank, LONDON  SW1P 4QP

Copy to Director, OFT.

Copy for action  to Oliver Letwin MP.

Copy to Mr Edward Welsh, Local Government Association

 Dear Sir,                                                                       


               Your Ref letter from Ms Jackson  on appeal  of maladministration by OFT in not prosecuting unlawful  housebuilders
               Your letter EN32546 0031 of 15th  January 2008                    my letter of  6th February To Mr King.
You will have heard, BBC radio Four news  6pm, that over 100 construction firms have been found guilty  of  bid rigging in tenders for  schools, hospitals and public works.              
Over seventy it is reported have admitted this.  The potential fines it is reported run to tens of £millions (it is  not clear whether this amount applies to individual firms .)

This is new general evidence supporting my claim that  there is widespread  breaking of the 1998 Competition Law by construction firms.


I have not got full details of the named firms. If as seems possible housebuilders are among the named guilty firms , then it seems  likely that  the use of market power by construction firms extends to their  house building departments.

The  lawbreaking  could extend to bidding for constructing social houses and overcharging local goverrnents. 
My contention is that the evidence in Barker is that market power is exerted by amassing landbanks and excluding competition locally in order to fix house prices high and limit the quantities built..

Please consider this new evidence in the review of the findings of the parliamentary ombudsman .

Is it appropriate that local governments continue to deal  with named lawbreakers?

Councils are debarred from employing teachers, doctors, and   individuals who have major criminal 
Records.

Local councils could be held to be negligent  by continuing to place contracts with known lawbreakers.
Monopoly and exploitation of vulnerable people is not the exception but the rule with major powerful corporations.

Would Mr Letwin please bring this to the attention of the appropriate minister for local government  and to the housing minister's attention?

Thankyou,

Yours faithfully,

James Armstrong
22 Harveys Tterrace, Dorchster DT ! 1LE                                          17th April 200  

 Ombud:confirmjudge





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