The House of Lords has appointed an ad-hoc select committee to “consider and report on” the Act. The 12-strong committee is due to report in 2019.
The Bribery Act came into force in July 2011 and, broadly speaking, states that companies with a presence in the UK can face prosecution for bribery or failing to prevent bribery regardless of where the alleged activity has taken place.
Importantly, a company can also be responsible for bribery carried out by its employees or third-party agents without its knowledge or consent. Companies can be found guilty of failing to prevent bribery by people working for or on behalf of the business, unless the company can show that they have “adequate procedures” designed to prevent bribery in place.