星空传媒

Under the OFTs leniency policy, total immunity to financial penalty is available to the first member of the cartel to offer relevant information to the OFT before it starts investigating.

One roofing contractor, Briggs Roofing & Cladding, of Smethwick, West Midlands, had fines of over 拢780,000 waived last month for helping the OFT on a landmark investigation into collusive bidding in the flat roof market (see 鈥楴ews & Views鈥�, page 10-11). Briggs鈥� cooperation has been key to the OFT鈥檚 investigations, leading to 19 roofing companies being fined more than 拢1m in total since March 2004.

The OFT has a sliding scale, starting at 50% reductions in fines, for other companies willing to inform but who missed the chance to be first.

The OFT also has a 鈥淟eniency Plus鈥� bracket, into which it slots companies who volunteer information in a sector unconnected to the current investigation. Scottish company Pirie was able to take advantage of this particular scheme, and had its designated fines cut by more than half, to 拢52,000 down from 拢115,000.

Simon Williams, the OFT鈥檚 director of cartel investigations, recognises that turning informant may be an unpleasant course of action for a company to contemplate, but he warns the alternative could be even more chilling.

鈥淲e realise it may be a big step to come forward and clean out your skeletons. Nobody likes confessing... But although these other companies may be people you have a drink in the pub with, if you don鈥檛 come in first, they might,鈥� he said.