Tony, I’m sure this will sound patronising: I guess you are relatively new to H&S otherwise you would be aware that a 2M rule was debated to the nth degree when the WaH regs were first drafted. I for one, don’t want to go there again.

I was around then. I've always avoided using the term as its an irrelevance. Six different regulations came out at the same time - so what?

Low professional fees imply low quality to buyers who value high quality; high fees are sometimes perceived as too expensive and those who want to buy solely on cost may be ultimately disappointed. The nature of the free market in which h&s consultants operate allows each consultant(cy) to set its own levels abnd buyers to choose according to their own buying criteria. On the issue of how to identify a "good" consultant, as always a personal recommendation is best, but recognising that the fit between the buying organisation and consultant may not be perfect in each case. The same question can be posed in each profession eg plumbing, law, accountancy, decorating, medicine, architecture, window fitting etc. I have a personal and intense dislike of those firms who require their clients to enter in to long-term contracts and then too often fail to deliver anything other than piles of paper. Good business for them but useless for the mug punter.