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The Lord Bishop of Chester: My Lords, far be it from me from this Bench to add to the wind unnecessarily—a wind that blows where it will, according to the Holy Scriptures. Does the Minister acknowledge that the sheer volume of questions on this and similar subjects which has arisen in this House over the past year indicates quite a widespread anxiety about the combination of reliance upon intermittent sources and increasing quantities of gas imported over very large distances? It indicates an underlying concern about security of energy supplies in the future.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: My Lords, that is entirely right. There clearly is anxiety in this House about this question of energy security. That is an important area for this country as we move into a world where we are an importer of energy. It is right that this House should consider this matter very seriously. Equally, it is for the Government to point out what action we are taking.
 
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Africa: Tackling Corruption

Lord Phillips of Sudbury asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress they are making in the reduction of corruption in Africa by use of powers under Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

Baroness Crawley: My Lords, the Government are determined to tackle corruption globally, including in Africa. Corruption is a complex phenomenon and the Government are engaged in a range of measures to tackle corruption in Africa, as well as in other regions of the world—for example, by raising governance standards in African countries. Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 makes a small contribution to that. It gives the UK courts extra-territorial jurisdiction over offences of bribery committed overseas by UK companies or nationals.

Lord Phillips of Sudbury: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for that Answer. Given the last point she made—that the whole purpose of Part 12 was to enable us to prosecute UK companies here, where their corruption or bribery had been in states incapable or unwilling to enforce it there—why is it that extra resources have not been made available to the prosecuting authorities here so that they can do the job? I would ask her particularly about the Democratic Republic of the Congo where, according to a recent United Nations report, British companies were identified as being exploiters of its mineral wealth and yet nothing has happened so far. Why is that? Will the Minister not accept that unless there is prosecution here under the Act, the Act is pointless?

Baroness Crawley: My Lords, we are well aware of the strong interest of the noble Lord, Lord Phillips, in the possibility of progress in the DRC. I will come to the UN panel issue that he raised on the DRC in a moment. Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act allows for the prosecution of offences of bribery committed by UK nationals and incorporated bodies abroad. It does not, as the noble Lord knows, apply to other criminal offences.

We take allegations against UK-based companies and individuals extremely seriously, but dealing with allegations is simply not just a matter of resources. However, the noble Lord will know that police funding since 2000–01 has increased by 30 per cent, or £2.3 billion. The UK Customs and Excise assessment of the UN panel report, to which the noble Lord referred in his supplementary question, is that information thus far processed by the UK for the OECD guidelines is not sufficient yet to mount a criminal investigation.

However, I am pleased to tell the noble Lord that the UN has now released additional material collected by the panel in regard to UK-based companies and individuals. The UK, as he knows, has been requesting that material for some time. That means that the
 
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material is now with the DTI. I am sure noble Lords will understand that I am unable to comment further until the DTI's assessment has been completed.

Baroness Whitaker: My Lords, I declare an interest as a member of Transparency International UK's advisory council, and as a member of the scrutiny committee on the draft Corruption Bill. I ask my noble friend the Minister to join me in congratulating the African Union on its preparations for its own convention against corruption, which is I hope being agreed in Addis Ababa as we speak. Can she tell me how our Government's plans are progressing for our legislation, including the legislation that we need to ratify the United Nation's convention against corruption? We do not want to lag behind the African Union, do we?

Baroness Crawley: My Lords, I certainly agree with my noble friend that we congratulate the African Union on its preparations for the convention against corruption. Indeed, we welcome such regional initiatives, which are designed to complement the aims of the convention.

My noble friend asked me when the UK Government aim to ratify the UN Convention against Corruption. We intend to do that as soon as we are satisfied that the UK can comply fully with the obligations under it. We want the UK to be among the first 30 ratifying countries.

Lord Marsh: My Lords, could the Minister give an example of our ability to influence those other countries, with the aid of our African friends who are on the same side—perhaps starting with Mr Mugabe as a specimen?

Baroness Crawley: My Lords, on the issue of Zimbabwe and corruption, under the Cotonou agreement between the European Community and the African, Caribbean and Pacific states, consultations have led to the application of appropriate measures against Zimbabwe, as the noble Lord will know, under Article 96, which deals with breaches of essential elements of democracy, human rights and rule of law.

The noble Lord asked me about other examples. We provide a wide range of assistance, depending on the particular needs of each country. Anti-corruption strategies in Uganda would be an example.

Baroness Williams of Crosby: My Lords, the Minister began by referring to good governance in Africa, and I am sure that we would all agree with her. However, may I suggest that we should start with better governance in the United Kingdom?

The Minister will be aware that I have been in correspondence now for three years with all the financial agencies and the Home Office with regard to the laundering of some 2 billion to 3 billion dollars-worth of Nigerian state funds. Is she aware of some 15 banks found to be involved in that trade, four were fined and no others were either named or prosecuted? Is she aware that the City of London police decided to prosecute none of them? Is she aware that every other country involved froze the bank accounts held by
 
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nominees of the Nigerian state funds, while the United Kingdom froze none of them? Finally, is she aware that after a three-year effort to get the Home Office to make its evidence available to the federal government of Nigeria, a poor and democratic major state in Africa, it is still the case that the Home Office has not sent any of the evidence that the federal government need, although Switzerland and other countries have done so?

Baroness Crawley: My Lords, perhaps the noble Baroness would allow me to write to her in detail about the disappointment that she has experienced over the correspondence she has had with the Home Office. The UK's anti-money-laundering regime involves directing primary legislation in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and secondary legislation against the menace presented by money-laundering to the UK and internationally.

The Earl of Dundee: My Lords, will the Minister confirm that the OECD is also examining the position of overseas subsidiaries? What international consensus on methods do the Government favour for dealing with corruption within those subsidiaries?

Baroness Crawley: Yes, my Lords, I am aware of the OECD's involvement in that matter. The noble Earl will know that we have signed and ratified the OECD's anti-bribery convention, under which we are obliged to do all that we can to combat bribery of foreign public officials in international business transactions. This month we have interviews with officials from the OECD to discuss how our own domestic legislation allows us to conform with the convention. We look forward to those interviews. Other countries that have recently been interviewed are France, Mexico, Canada, Korea and Turkey.

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, does the Minister accept that some of the rest of us in this House have also pressed the Home Office on the total failure to respond to the Nigerian Government's issues with regard to the banking of funds that properly belong to them? Will she further accept that the tackling of corruption internationally and specifically in Africa is extremely difficult in the absence of effective and accountable political structures, as in the Congo; in the absence of the rule of law, as in Zimbabwe; and in the absence of effective and supportive neighbourly community life, as in many parts of Africa?

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