BOND submission to the Ministry of Justice Consultation on a new enforcement tool to deal with economic crime committed by commercial organisations: Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs)

The Bond Anti-Corruption Group is made up of likeminded British NGOs who, through their work, witness the devastating effects of corruption on developing countries every day. Our experience has taught us that corruption continues to be one of the biggest obstacles to development, poverty alleviation and good governance. Our aim is to draw attention to the impact of corruption on developing countries and provide a platform for the voice of our partners and southern civil society organizations to be heard in the UK.

As an over-riding principle, the Bond Anti-Corruption Group believes that bribery is a serious crime, for which companies and individuals should be prosecuted and punished. It is important that the Ministry of Justice avoids creating a situation in which DPAs become a soft option for companies or a cheap option for prosecutors. We also take this opportunity to re-iterate our long-standing concern that sufficient human and financial resources need to be committed by the government to the investigation and prosecution of bribery offences.

The Bond Anti-Corruption Group broadly supports the introduction of DPAs, but believes that DPAs should be part of a wider set of changes in the way that bribery-related offences are investigated, settled or prosecuted if they are to work effectively in the interests of justice. The Bond Anti-Corruption Group is not supportive of the introduction of DPAs as a stand-alone measure without these accompanying reforms.