Health and Safety Executive names five firms to £9m enforcement panel

The panel will run for a fixed period of two years, with the option for the watchdog to extend by agreement for a further year.

The successful firms were:

• VHS Fletchers: Lot 1 - Yorkshire and North East Region
• Fieldings Porter: Lot 2 - North West and North Wales Region
• Blake Morgan: Lot 3 - South Wales and South West Region
• Tuckers Solicitors: Lot 4 - London Region
• Taylor Haldane Barlex: Lot 5 - East and South West Region

To be appointed to the panel, successful bidders needed to demonstrate a strong background of, in England and Wales: conducting criminal proceedings on behalf of the prosecution; conducting enforcement notice appeals and providing representation at inquests.

Specific experience in the field of UK health and safety legislation was also essential.