The purpose of the Bill is to: Reform the criminal law to provide a new, modern and comprehensive scheme of bribery offences that will enable the courts and prosecutors to provide a more effective response to bribery in the 21st century at home and abroad.

The Government’s draft Bribery Bill will be informed by the recommendations of the Law Commission set out in their report ‘Reforming Bribery’ (Law Com No 313) published on 20 November.  The main elements of the Law Commission’s recommendations are:

Core bribery offences dealing with generality of both active and passive bribery i.e. the offering, promising or giving of bribes and the requesting, agreeing to receive or acceptance of bribes.

Discrete offences dealing with the bribery of foreign public officials in order to obtain a business advantage and liability of companies for failures to prevent bribery committed on their behalf.

A requirement that prosecutions for bribery cannot proceed without the consent of the Director of the relevant prosecuting authority rather than the consent of the Attorney –General as provided by existing law. 

The main benefits of the Bill are:

• A clear message that UK is committed to empowering our police, prosecutors and courts to tackle bribery effectively wherever it occurs. Bribery is a global problem and an insidious threat to ethical standards in public life and in business. 
  
• More transparency and accountability in international business transactions.  The reform of the law will help us to collaborate more effectively with our international partners in tackling the threat that bribery poses to economic progress and development around the world.
  
• A more effective legal framework to combat foreign bribery and clearer compliance with our international obligations.  Law reform is one of the key elements of the Government’s UK’s strategy against foreign bribery co-ordinated by the Justice Secretary (Jack Straw) in his new role as the Government’s anti-corruption champion.  The strategy will establish, regulatory and policy framework to combat foreign bribery.