Peers have issued a call for evidence on the Bribery Act 2010
The House of Lords Select Committee on the Act is looking for views and opinions for its post-legislative scrutiny inquiry into the legislation, which created the crimes of giving and receiving bribes, bribing foreign public officials and failing to prevent bribery. Prior to the Act, the law of bribery had remained substantially the same for nearly a century.
The majority of corrupt conduct is now prosecuted under the Act, which came into force on 1 July 2011, and some cases have already reached the Court of Appeal.
The inquiry will look at the effectiveness of the Act; whether there has been stricter prosecution of corrupt conduct, a higher conviction rate, and a reduction in such conduct; and the impact of the Act on small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
It will also look at the subject of deferred prosecution agreements in relation to bribery; inquire whether the statutory guidance on the Act is clear and well understood; and ask if the Act is successfully deterring bribery both in the UK and abroad.
Lord Saville, chair of the committee, said: ‘Concerns over whether the Bribery Act 2010 is effective need to be examined now.
‘The committee seeks to assess the effectiveness of the legislation and the impact it is having, as nearly all corrupt conduct is now prosecuted under it. The committee will welcome submissions from people, organisations or businesses with experience of the Bribery Act 2010, and urges any persons and bodies that would like to be involved to send us their views.’
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