Bribery

Bribery Act 2010

The Bribery Act reforms the illegal law to offer a new, modern and complete scheme of bribery offences that will enable courts and prosecutors to respond more effectively to bribery at home or abroad.

The Act will:

* provide a more effective legal framework to battle bribery in the public or private sectors

* replace the fragmented and complex offences at common law and in the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889-1916

* create two general offences covering the offering, promising or giving of an advantage, and requesting, agreeing to receive or accepting of an advantage

* create a discrete offence of bribery of a foreign public official

* create a new offence of failure by a commercial organisation to prevent a bribe being paid for or on its behalf (it will be a defence if the organisation has adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery)

* require the Secretary of State to publish guidance about procedures that relevant commercial organisations can put in place to prevent bribery on their behalf

* help tackle the threat that bribery poses to economic progress and development around the world.