Two statutory instruments were laid before Parliament last autumn which, if approved, will give the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) increased and substantial powers of investigation.
The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Directed Surveillance and Covert Human Intelligence Sources) Order 2003 will add powers to the OFT to use ‘covert human intelligence sources’ and ‘directed surveillance’ in their investigation of suspected cartels. This is intended to be used by the OFT for both civil and criminal investigations.
