Bribery Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am very grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken on this amendment. We are grateful to the opposition parties and those on the Cross Benches for the assistance and help that they have given to take this Bill through Parliament. It is very much a consensual Bill which is not before time in modernising the law of bribery. It would not have been possible to have got a Bill like this without there being general agreement from Second Reading on—indeed, before Second Reading—for this Bill. When we have had points of difference, they have shown up in debate, as they ought to. I hope that we have found a successful resolution to them. We are coming on to another amendment in due course. I thank the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mayhew, for his support for this amendment, as I do other noble Lords who have spoken to it. The answer to the question asked by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mackay of Clashfern, is yes. I think that he can be content with that answer. The noble Lord, Lord Henley, and others asked about the guidance. We will publish the guidance well in advance of Clause 7 of the Bill coming into force, which goes a little way to satisfy those in the business community who are understandably wary of how the Bill will work. The noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, mentioned their concern, too. As to when the guidance will be published, without for goodness’ sake wanting to bring the general election into this debate, I can say that this Government’s intention is that the guidance should be published before the Summer Recess. However, if there is another Administration, they must be free to have their priorities one way or another. We cannot say for sure that the guidance will be published before the Summer Recess, although I would hope that given the consensual nature of the Bill any Government would want to have the guidance published as soon as possible, because it is important to bring in the Bill as soon as possible so that it can be effectively the law of the land. Motion on Amendment 1 agreed. Motion on Amendments 2 to 8 Moved by