Law Society backs DLA Piper complaint to OFT on government work

17 September 2007

The Law Society is backing a complaint, made by DLA Piper, against the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC) for possible breaches of the Competition Act. 

DLA Piper has argued that excluding APPC non-members from awards of certain government contracts for public affairs services could breach the Competition Act and they have lodged their complaint with the Office of Fair trading (OFT)

The Society’s Chief Executive, Des Hudson commented:

“We did not hesitate to support DLA Piper’s complaint - it is shocking that solicitors firms should be forced into membership of a voluntary organisation in order to secure future work.  The OFT should be aware that making government contracts conditional on APPC membership is anti-competitive, as are the attempts by the APPC to make this so. 

“Parliament is currently discussing the openness of the lobbying process in the UK, it will be interesting to see how that public debate unfolds. There is some irony in government agencies attempting to impose ‘transparency’ through the use of procurement processes which have had no public scrutiny whatsoever.”