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A decision on the level of fines that will be handed out to firms at the centre of the Competition and Markets Authority鈥檚 bid-rigging probe has been delayed again.

The cartel-buster had been hoping to go public with the amounts last November but this was delayed until Christmas and then last month.

Now firms have been told a decision has been put back another four weeks with a verdict expected in early March.

Last summer the CMA named 10 firms of being guilty of bid-rigging with seven of the 10 also being accused of making and receiving 鈥榗ompensation payments鈥�. Three firms, John F Hunt, Clifford Devlin and Keltbray, were found not to have participated in making or receiving these payments.

Seven of the 10 firms have now said via their latest report and accounts that the amount they expect it to cost them will be close to 拢30m.

鈥淭he bids were rigged by one or more construction firms which agreed to submit bids that were deliberately priced to lose the tender [known as cover pricing],鈥� the CMA added.

Two firms, Essex contractor Squibb Group and Erith, currently working on the demolition of 120 Fleet Street in the City of London, are contesting the provisional findings. Both have been accused of bid-rigging and making compensation payments.

One source said of the latest delay: 鈥淎ll we鈥檝e been told is that a decision on the level of fines has been put back a month. We can only assume there is more negotiating going on in the background with other parties.鈥�