Recommendation 49

We are disappointed that the Government has not yet implemented reform of corporate criminal liability. The previous Committee presented convincing evidence of the need for this in 2019, already two years after the Ministry of Justice had run its consultation in 2017. The decision taken in 2020 to ask the Law Commission to review the law on corporate criminal liability is a sensible step, given the complexity of the law in this area, but it is likely to be years before any change in the law results. We urge the Law Commission to proceed with its review speedily, and we urge the Government to act quickly in bringing forward any legislation flowing from the Law Commission’s review. In the meantime, corporate criminals will continue to be able to escape prosecution for economic crimes.