 The Bribery Act 2010 ( c.23 ) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that covers the criminal law relating to bribery . Introduced to Parliament in the Queen 's Speech in 2009 after several decades of reports and draft bills , the Act received the Royal Assent on 8 April 2010 following cross @-@ party support . Initially scheduled to enter into force in April 2010 , this was changed to 1 July 2011 . The Act repeals all previous statutory and common law provisions in relation to bribery , instead replacing them with the crimes of bribery , being bribed , the bribery of foreign public officials , and the failure of a commercial organisation to prevent bribery on its behalf . 
