Fraud enquiry

The preferred bidder to take over the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) helpline is caught up in a fraud enquiry.

The jobs agency A4e is the subject of two police inquiries over allegations of attempted fraud.

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS civil service union, told The Guardian that speculation about A4e’s involvement in plans to privatise the helpline has “fuelled concerns about what is a totally unnecessary and damaging sell-off”.

Despite calls to keep the EHRC’s helpline in-house, privatisation is being sought by the Government Equalities Office and the Home Office.