The Serious Fraud Office completed only four bribery and corruption cases in the past year (two criminal and two civil settlements), says Ernst & Young’s newly published UK Bribery Digest. The Scottish authorities completed one case.

According to the accountancy firm, no prosecutions have yet been made against businesses under the Bribery Act – despite the law coming into force 18 months ago.

These findings come despite indications from Ernst & Young’s Global Fraud Survey that bribery and corruption has risen over recent years – with 15% of executives saying they would contemplate unscrupulous behaviour including providing personal gifts or cash to secure business.

The survey of over 1,700 CFOs, heads of legal, compliance and internal audit, also showed that the numbers who felt that providing personal gifts to secure business could be justified more than doubled in two years.

“However,” warned Jonathan Middup Ernst & Young partner and UK leader of Anti-Bribery and Corruption services, “the SFO has said it has 11 active bribery and corruption cases and a further 18 under consideration. Given that we are also assisting with a number of issues on behalf of clients we expect that corporate Bribery Act cases will be brought into the public arena this year.”

“Organisations would be unwise to hold back on their compliance programmes just because the courts are currently quiet,” he said.

For specialist legal advice and representation from our solicitors for SFO charges or investigations, bribery and corruption compliance or investigation legal advice, please contact Jeffrey Lewis or Siobhain Egan on 020 7387 2032.