Home Office-funded collective action wins approval

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has granted the first public sector collective proceedings order (CPO), with the Home Office as litigation funder and largest class member.

Separately, it has rejected the first standalone collective action – that is, a claim that was not a follow-on action from the findings of a regulatory or competition authority.

Mrs Justice Bacon, president of the CAT, said potential class members in the Home Office-backed claim were seeking damages of £600m to £650m in an opt-out action over “excessive and unfair prices” charged by the provider of emergency communication services, owned by Motorola.

As well as major national emergency services, potential class members include smaller fire and rescue services, local authorities, the coastguard and charities like