A construction company and two of its employees have been fined a total of £50,000 by the Competition and Markets Authority after evidence was concealed during an inspection, according to the CMA.
The watchdog carried out the inspection at M&J Group's business premises under a court warrant, as part of a wider probe into 12 construction companies suspected of bid rigging. Investigators are looking at whether contracts were illegally colluded on, including work funded through the Department for Education's Condition Improvement Fund, which pays out millions each year for school building repairs.
Key points
- Who was fined — M&J Group £25,000, Barry Pirrie £20,000 and Tracey Woods £5,000.
- What happened — a work mobile phone and paperwork were taken off the premises during an inspection.
- Why it matters — the CMA says concealing evidence wastes investigative time and risks losing relevant information.
- Separate probe — the bid-rigging investigation is ongoing and no conclusions have been reached.
During the visit, M&J's Estimating Director, Barry Pirrie, told Office Manager Tracey Woods to remove a work mobile phone and documents from the building so that CMA officers would not find them, the authority said. Mr Pirrie also denied having a work phone when questioned. The items were returned and handed over later the same day.
The penalties relate to failures to comply with the CMA's investigatory requirements and are separate from any findings in the competition investigation itself. Because the conduct happened before the CMA's enhanced enforcement powers took effect in January 2025, the company faced the lower maximum penalty that applied at the time. The CMA added that the maximum penalties for individuals have not changed.
What it means in practice
This case is a reminder that firms under investigation cannot pick and choose what to hand over, and that individuals as well as companies can be fined personally. For anyone working in construction, procurement or a business that deals with public contracts, the practical message is simple: if the CMA turns up with a warrant, cooperate fully and keep everything.
- For companies — make sure staff know what to do during an inspection and never remove or hide documents or devices.
- For workers — you can be fined personally, so follow the rules even if a manager tells you otherwise.
- For public bodies — bid-rigging investigations can affect school repair contracts, so watch for updates on the wider probe.
