Corruption is a Crime

The Government has killed off the Corruption Bill without any debate in the House of Commons. The Bill aimed to tighten to rules on British companies operating abroad, and was necessary to meet treaty obligations to fight corruption and bribery.

The Corruption Bill was introduced by Lord Chidgey and passed successfully through all of its legislative stages in the House of Lords, but the deadline has now passed for it to be given time in the House of Commons.

David Heath MP, the Liberal Democrats’ Shadow Justice Minister, strongly criticised the Labour Government’s failure to allow the Bill to be debated.

“It is a constitutional outrage that a bill passed by one House has not been given a second of parliamentary time in the Commons. It shows a complete lack of respect for the upper house.

“This Bill would form a key part of what ought to be the British Government’s legal protections against corrupt practices. It incorporates changes which are not only necessary for Britain to comply with its international obligations but also covers areas which Hilary Benn, when he was responsible for anti-corruption measures, said were important and urgent.

“Not to proceed with anti-corruption legislation is part of an emerging picture which, taken with the shameful decision to discontinue investigating BAE’s Al Yamamah deal with Saudi Arabia, smacks of indifference at best or complicity at worst with dodgy dealing by British firms abroad.”

Her Majesty’s Opposition must be feeling very proud after Jack Straw, the Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal and former Foreign Secretary, praised their refusal to criticise the Government over the Al Yamamah arms deal controversy.

My Straw had been challenged in the House of Commons by David Heath, his Liberal Democrat shadow, for a statement on the issue:

Last week, I asked the Leader of the House about the Ministry of Defence’s involvement in the al-Yamamah affair. It is ironic that the United States Congress is taking more interest in the matter than the House of Commons. The Attorney-General has now written to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for North-East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell) saying that the decision to withhold vital information from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development was taken by officials rather than by accountable Ministers—decisions that were politically inept and clearly unsustainable. I renew my request for a statement on the matter.

David Heath also asked the Government to get behind Lord Chidgey’s Corruption Bill, which the House of Lords approved last week.

Mr Straw rejected criticism of the Government over Al Yamamah and gave the Conservatives “great credit” for laying off the issue.

The Corruption Bill, introduced by Liberal Democrat peer Lord Chidgey, reaches its Third Reading in the House of Lords this afternoon. The Bill aims to tighten the laws on British companies operating abroad. The current rules have been criticised by the OECD.

Following press allegations that BAE paid up to £1bn in bribes to a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family, Lord Chidgey called on the Government to back his Bill.

“Recent revelations makes it even more important that this Bill becomes law. I strongly urge the Government to back this important piece of legislation.

“The debacle surrounding the Al Yamamah investigation shows that something must be done to restore faith in the British justice system urgently.

“The UK must fulfil its international obligations to tackle corruption properly.

“Britain has become a laughing stock within the OECD and the reputation of British companies operating abroad has been severely tarnished.”