Race to make bid-rigging criminal offence by April
Officials said on Friday they aim to criminalise bid-rigging by April as well as enhance enforcement through the establishment of an inter-departmental task force. Competition Commission chief executive Rasul Butt said the watchdog would be consulting lawmakers over the proposed amendments “very soon” before seeking opinions from stakeholders. “The government and, of course, the relevant authorities like the Competition Commission... will need to engage with some stakeholders,” he said. “In terms of going to Legco to seek Legco's approval to pass the new amendments, the aim right now is April next year.” The task force – comprised of representatives from the commission, the police force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption – will be led by Secretary for Security Chris Tang. Tang said the fight against bid-rigging, currently only a civil offence, would be efficient and enhanced through the sharing of intelligence and databases by the task force. “In fact in the past, our three different departments, namely police, ICAC and Competition Commission, we are all separately, vigorously investigating bid-rigging-related offences,” he said. “But now we have a joint task force – we can share our intelligence, we can conduct more precise joint operations, and we can have more proactive elements in cracking bid-rigging activities.” While Tang did...
Read full articleMORE NEWS
Police probe Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's stays at Balmoral amid claims Epstein trafficked women to King's estate
Police Scotland have confirmed enquiries into stays at the King's estate in the Scottish Highlands by the late convicted paedophile Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Furious protesters cover Wetherspoon Gosport pub in poppies after military veterans wearing the remembrance symbol were banned from entering
In a video seen on X, two hooded demonstrators were seen stood on tables outside the pub and placing several poppy stickers on the pub sign and its shopfront.
Pensioner, 67, was beaten to death after 'telling a child not to ride a Lime bike on the pavement': Man, 38, is convicted of manslaughter
Andre Wright-Walters, 38, punched 67-year-old James Gbadamosi in the face twice and sent him flying to the ground in Balham, southwest London, on August 24 last year.
Norway hilariously mocks Trump again for his 'sh*thouse' criticism of the country with some clever toilet humour…
On Sunday, the US President escalated his invective against Norway, calling it a 'sh*thouse country' after he was not awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.
Student saves life of runner, 35, who collapsed at Manchester Half Marathon finish line
'My training immediately kicked in'
Humiliation for Healey: Chancellor is forced into screeching U-turn just hours after promising to cut welfare bill before next election
The Chancellor triggered chaos in Whitehall after suggesting the runaway benefits bill would be cut before the next election in 'a Labour way'.
Andy Burnham government announces 2.4m UK households could have energy debt wiped from spring 2027
A household energy debt write-off scheme has been planned for early next year
Is this what you had in mind, mayor? Sadiq Khan's Oxford Street revolution descends into chaos as cyclists turn 'pedestrian-only' zone into 'highway' - and cab drivers warn journeys are taking longer
Sadiq Khan's vision of Oxford Street as a peaceful, pedestrian utopia has inelegantly stumbled and landed on its face just days into the scheme.
Family’s grief over loss of father-of-two
The shattered family of a father-of-two who was struck and killed by a drunk and drugged driver has laid bare their grief in court.
Burnham dismisses 'brutal cuts' to welfare after Chancellor's humiliating U-turn on whether surging costs will come down before election
Andy Burnham insisted he is 'pioneering a new approach' amid more confusion over when the surging bill might be reduced.
America's most accurate election guru gives final prediction on what will happen in the midterms
A history professor who has accurately predicted the outcome of 9 of the last 11 presidential races has issued his final assessment of the 2026 midterms.
Netanyahu's party ramps up claims Arab parties 'stole' the election and warns of 'Israel's Islamisation' after failing to win majority
The opposition accused Mr Netanyahu of demonising the Arab population after a historic showing by Arab-led parties in an attempt to delegitimise the election.
