British Parliament Considering Tough New Bribery Bill

Mar 30th, 2009 • Posted in: News

It clarifies and toughens existing law and penalizes firms for willfully turning a blind eye to graft

LONDON
A tough new bribery law has been proposed in the United Kingdom.

The U.K. Guardian reports that the bill presented to Parliament by Justice secretary Jack Straw offers stiff penalties for offering a bribe in Britain or abroad and proposes a new corporate offense: “negligent failure to prevent bribery.”

Straw says his draft bill will help “reinforce transparency and accountability in international deals,” reports the Scotsman.

According to an analysis in the Economist, the bill would replace a hodgepodge of difficult-to-enforce existing laws. Drafters hope that its “negligent failure” provision will keep companies from willfully turning a blind eye to bribery, while also preventing higher-ups from shielding themselves by allowing junior employees to take the blame for breaking the rules.

In an editorial, the Financial Times partially endorses the measure, saying that the proposed law will, to an extent, “help the U.K. put its house in order.” But the editorial also warns that there are troubling exceptions carved out in the proposal, including a provision that would allow bribery that is deemed necessary for security or intelligence purposes.

Sources: Financial Times, Mar. 26 — Economist, Mar. 26 — Scotsman, Mar. 26 — Guardian, Mar. 25.

For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Mar. 23 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 2 — Related Newsline story, Dec. 22, 2008 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 27, 2008 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 20, 2008.

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