Book Description

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has improved its operations following recommendations on maintaining competition in markets made by the National Audit Office and Committee of Public Accounts in 2005 and 2006. It now needs to concentrate its efforts on strengthening the skills and experience of its staff at key management grades, and be clearer on how long it expects its investigations will take. The OFT is now directing its work to areas that have the most impact, though this refocus on higher priority cases has led to a perception that the OFT is less interested in smaller markets, with a risk that its deterrent effect will be reduced in these markets. The OFT has taken steps to address this perception, launching investigations into more local markets such as in construction and bus transport. The time taken to process high profile cases has been reduced by introducing better project management and more flexible ways of working, including using bigger teams and temporary legal staff. The OFT has also brought criminal charges in two cartel cases for the first time under the Enterprise Act, one of which to date has resulted in criminal convictions. The OFT recognises that some of its cases are still taking too long. The OFT operates in a competitive labour market and still continues to face challenges in attracting and retaining talented staff. The OFT has provided project management and leadership training to its staff, but it needs to sustain and increase this work in order to continue to recruit and retain staff at key management grades.