The unannounced visits on three health, safety and environment (HS&E) test centres in Cheshire, Essex and London, by CITB, police and the Home Office came after CITB audits found staff giving answers to candidates in exchange for cash.
At the Cheshire centre, a staff member admitted helping candidates choose correct answers, while a “considerable amount” of cash was found without a plausible explanation. A candidate was also detained and bailed on suspicion of being in the country illegally.
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In Essex, staff members admitted being supplied with a large number of candidates, many of whom the administrators were paid to give the right answers to during the test. Candidates admitted paying up to £500 to take the £21 HS&E test. Six candidates were suspected of being in the country illegally and were detained, while the centre was suspended from carrying out further tests.
In London, the Metropolitan Police, supported by CITB investigators, arrested a man suspected of facilitating corrupt tests for other candidates. A quantity of fake documentation and card making equipment was seized from a number of locations. The man has been released under investigation pending further enquiries.
Review of past tests
CITB said it would now review just over 2,500 tests conducted by the three centres in the past year and then decide whether or not to revoke them.
Ian Sidney, CITB fraud mnager, said: “CITB has considerable experience in auditing test centres all over the country, and works with the Home Office, police and other law enforcement agencies where necessary on behalf of the construction industry to ensure a safe working environment for all.
“If anyone has information about fraudulent testing within construction they can contact CITB anonymously on [email protected]”
CITB claimed that organised crime can earn £50,000 per week through illegal immigration and modern slavery networks, with far less risk than drug or gun crime. During an unrelated joint visit by police with CITB earlier this year, £500,000 in assets were seized.
Some workers arrive in the UK legally but are duped into thinking that the cards or qualifications they require are impossible to obtain and that expensive counterfeit versions are their only option. There are also those who are trafficked illegally, with fraudulent cards in a package awaiting them on arrival, and they are made to believe they remain in debt indefinitely to a gangmaster.
So far in 2019, CITB has terminated 17 test centres involved in delivery of fraudulent tests or CITB qualifications.
