Overview

After a protracted gestation, and a damning indictment of the UK’s anti-corruption regime by the OECD, the government finally published a draft Bribery Bill on 25 March 2009 (the“Bill”). Proposing a sweeping overhaul of existing common law and statutory bribery offences, it is the latest development in the UK’s push to eradicate bribery and corruption.
The idiosyncrasies of the current law may have resulted in the authorities resorting to means other than prosecution. Recent substantial penalties have included:
- October 2008: the SFO used the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to come to a settlement of £2.25 million with Balfour Beatty following allegations of bribery.
- January 2009: Aon Limited was fined £5.25 million by the FSA for failing to have in place and implement adequate anti-corruption controls, especially in relation to suspect jurisdictions.
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