Mansell, Balfour Beatty subsidiary, on list of construction firms accused of making compensation payments

Balfour Beatty subsidiary Mansell is one of the few firms implicated in the more serious allegations of breach of competition law involved in the OFT inquiry into bid rigging, it is understood.

It is believed that Mansell is one of about nine firms named by the inquiry in connection to the allegation of compensation payments, in which losing bidders who have submitted cover prices receive payments from the winning bidder on a contract.

Balfour Beatty and Mansell declined to comment, as did the OFT.

The 112 firms named in the inquiry, including 24 listed ones, have until 30 June to respond to the allegations. The OFT will then decide which are guilty and the fines that should be levied on them. This can be as high as 10% of global turnover.

Thirty-seven firms, including Balfour Beatty, Carillion and Morgan Sindall, have applied for leniency, which would result in a reduced fine.

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