Helping the 'workshy' WFH! Britain's competition watchdog is accused of ... trends now
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The UK's competition watchdog has been accused of splurging over £2.7million of taxpayers' money on helping 'workshy' staff carry out their jobs from the comfort of their own home.
Bosses have splashed out on nearly 2,500 laptops, smartphones, and tablets for just over 1,000 employees over the past three years, figures have revealed.
Parliament Street think tank - which uncovered the data – branded the Competition and Markets Authority's 'frivolous and excessive spending spree' astonishing during a cost-of-living crisis.
Chairman Patrick Sullivan said: 'Instead of forking out millions of pounds to enable workshy staff to stay at home, a mandatory order should be put in place to get them back into the office where they belong.'
A survey last month revealed civil servants were among the most likely to want to work from home - despite government efforts to get them back into the office.
CMA bosses have paid for nearly 2,500 laptops, smartphones, and tablets for just over 1,000 employees over the past three years. Pictured: The CMA's Cabot Square offices
The CMA is widely viewed as one of the foremost antitrust agencies in the world and is set to get huge new powers to rein in Big Tech this month under new laws.
However it has come under fire over the past year over how it has dealt with scrutinising major deals, in particular Microsoft's £60bn takeover of Activision Blizzard.
The watchdog last night defended its IT spending saying its staff also needed the devices in the office because it no longer had any standalone computers.
Overall, officials spent £1,887,000 on 1,258 laptops for staff between January 2020
