Bribery Bill [HL]

I should say, following, the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, that it is pretty clear that the amendments in the name of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lyell of Markyate, would make the act less easy to prove. As the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lyell, said, the existing law has been there for more than 100 years. That 100 years did not result in a realistic number of prosecutions. I take the view, which I think was implied by the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, that the standpoint that one should adopt with regard to the Bill is that it is intended to change culture. The culture has meant that there have been very few prosecutions. It is a culture in which bribery has not been castigated. This is not really the culture in which our best companies live any more. They need the support of this legislation. It is quite important that we resist these amendments, because they would return the law to the vague and inadequate states which the Law Commission decided, quite rightly in the view of the committee, to end.