Corruption: Prosecutions

(asked on 2nd February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) commercial organisations, and (2) individuals, have been prosecuted each year under the Bribery Act 2010 for failure to prevent bribery; and what outcome was secured in each such case.


Answered by
Lord Stewart of Dirleton Portrait
Lord Stewart of Dirleton
Advocate General for Scotland
This question was answered on 16th February 2021

Section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010 provides that a commercial organisation is guilty of an offence of failing to prevent bribery if a person associated with the organisation bribes another person, intending to obtain or retain business or an advantage for the company. The offence can only be committed by a corporate body.

In respect of the two prosecuting agencies that the Attorney General superintends:

  • The Crown Prosecution Service has prosecuted one commercial organisation under Section 7, securing a conviction against Skansen Interiors Ltd in 2018.

  • The Serious Fraud Office (‘SFO’) has prosecuted one commercial organisation under Section 7, with Sweett Group plc pleading guilty in 2015. The SFO has also separately entered into six Deferred Prosecution Agreements (‘DPAs’) with companies for this offence:

Year

Number of DPAs

Company

2015

1

Standard Bank

2016

1

Sarclad

2017

1

Rolls-Royce

2018

0

2019

1

Guralp Systems ltd

2020

2

Airbus SE Airline Services ltd

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