Oral Answers to Questions

Rushanara Ali Excerpts

Wednesday 30th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Duncan]

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has already been driving this issue very hard and DFID fully supports a process that is designed to reach agreement at EU level. We want such legislation to require, for example, extractive industries to disclose all their payments to the host Government. That is a very important step and the impact of such measures is greatest when applied to the widest range of countries.

[Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green and Bow) (Lab)]

We all agree that tackling corruption is vital to ensuring that development delivers for the people who need it most. As the Government are finally publishing the guidelines on the Bribery Act, may I press the Minister again to assure us that the guidelines will not water down that important legislation?

[Mr Duncan]

On the contrary, the guidelines are very strict as the hon. Lady will see when she reads the written ministerial statement that is being published today.