Professor Celia Wells' evidence to the Parliamentary Scrutiny Committee on the draft Bill last year has led to a significant strengthening of the Bribery Act's provision on corporate liability for bribery offences.  The purpose of the Bribery Act, which received Royal assent on 9 April, is to simplify the law on bribery and to allow a more effective response to bribery offences that occur either in the UK or abroad. It is is expected to come into force in stages between June and October 2010.

Offences covered by the Act include:

• the offence of bribing another person;
• the offence of being bribed;
• bribery of a Foreign Public Official
• a corporate offence of failure to prevent bribery