Additional memorandum submitted by Ministry
of Justice (BB 41)
DRAFT BRIBERY
BILL—NOTE
ON INFORMAL
CONSULTATION
1. Following publication of the Law Commission's
report on Reforming Bribery in November 2008, which followed an
extensive public consultation exercise, the Bribery Bill Team
supplemented its discussions with other interested Departments
with informal engagement with a range of stakeholders in order
to effectively inform the draft Bribery Bill.
2. This note provides details of those stakeholders
that were consulted informally prior to publication of the draft
Bill. However this process of stakeholder engagement is an ongoing
exercise and will inform the final Bill that is introduced.
INVESTIGATING AND
PROSECUTING AUTHORITIES
3. As the investigatory body for suspected
cases of large-scale (minimum £1 million) bribery and
corruption, the Serious Fraud Office was consulted at various
points during the drafting process.
4. The Crown Prosecution Service was consulted
as the prosecuting body for alleged cases of bribery on a smaller
scale.
5. The Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit of
the City of London Police investigates cases of suspected overseas
bribery, sometimes working jointly with the SFO.
6. The Financial Services Authority was
consulted in light of its regulatory role in relation to the financial
sector.
BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS
7. The Bill Team held discussions with the
Confederation of British Industry, the International Chamber of
Commerce (UK), and the Federation of Small Businesses on the Law
Commission's proposed bribery law reforms on the business sector.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
8. The Bill Team held discussions with the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Working
Group on Bribery, to ensure that the Draft Bill meets fully the
obligations of the United Kingdom under the OECD Convention Against
Bribery of Foreign Public officials.
9. Discussions were held with Transparency
International (UK) as the leading anti-corruption NGO.
June 2009
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