The ABC Complaints to the Competition and Markets Authority

The ABC has asked the Competition and Markets Authority to assess – is it fair that one company should have all the business from the DWP supplying clothing and footwear to claimants for interviews and starting jobs. Is there a proper tendering process for suppliers, and why should benefit claimants not be allowed to purchase from alternative stores, and buy the clothes and shoes they want and they feel comfortable in?

Vouchers can stop people from shopping around (which reduces competition) and if Ian Duncan’s Smiths idea is to simulate the world of work with Universal Credit, then allowing people the freedom to shop where they want to buy, should be part of that process.

SME’s ought to be able to compete and be encouraged to participate.

The ABC does not want to support companies that get business from the government that are domiciled in tax havens where the owners commute regularly by tax deductible private jet from places like Monaco, choking up the environment.

We can all make a start by complaining.

Our response from the Competition and Markets Authority

We have sent your correspondence to our Pipeline and Intelligence Team who analyse and assess the information we receive and advise on which cases offer the best prospect to make real differences for consumers, enabling us to decide which cases to take forward.

You will appreciate that, like any public authority, we have finite resources so we have to prioritise which cases we pursue. We decide this on the basis of our published prioritisation principles. You can find more about these as well as about our current cases and projects on our website.

The CMA has an advocacy role working with government departments and public bodies to ensure they think about how polices might affect competition. What you have sent us will help us consider whether we should make more detailed enquiries. We will get in touch with you if we need more information, but as I am sure you will understand, we cannot engage in further correspondence with everyone who contacts us. Even where we do not immediately take up a case, the information you and other people provide to us is valuable in helping us to build up a fuller picture of how markets are working and may in time lead to us taking some further action.

My Lady Christina, a 200ft super yacht owned by Matalan’s founder, Monaco based John Hargreaves.

Competition and Markets Authority

Victoria House

Southampton Row

 London WC1B 4AD

Tel: 020 3738 6000

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.gov.uk/cma @CMAgovUK