New UK taskforce to fight international corruption

LONDON - Britain will set up a government-funded police taskforce to tackle international corruption including bribery and money laundering, the government has announced.

The move follows talks last year between leaders of the world's richest nations and their African counterparts on the importance of rooting out corruption to battle poverty and speed development of poorer nations.

"The UK has a responsibility to tackle money laundering and bribery where it stems from our own shores, and to support developing countries in fighting corruption," Prime Minister Tony Blair said in a statement.

Corruption is a "huge obstacle" to development, he said, adding London had made fighting it a key priority of its presidency of the Group of Eight rich nations last year.

The taskforce will comprise officers from London's leading police forces - the City of London and Metropolitan Police.

Specialised officers will investigate allegations of foreign bribery by UK businesses and the use of Britain's financial system to launder the proceeds of corruption.

Blair also appointed International Development Secretary Hilary Benn as "ministerial champion for addressing international corruption".

The appointment of a government anti-corruption czar was one of the main recommendations in a report into corruption by the Africa All-Party Parliamentary Group.

The government's announcements came in its official response to the MPs' report, in which they accused ministers of a lack of political will to fight corruption.

Benn acknowledged aid or donations designed to help the poor in developing countries could often end up lining the pockets of corrupt leaders.

"We also have to recognise that where there are bribe takers, there are also bribe givers. The new taskforce for investigating corruption will help to put the UK at the forefront of efforts to tackle international corruption in all its forms," Benn said in a statement.

Parliamentarians had also asked for new laws to fight corruption overseas. The government said it agreed bribery laws needed reform and that it remained committed to introducing a bill "in due course", but it failed to give a timetable.

The government said there were 35 overseas bribery allegations being vetted to see if there was enough evidence to open a case, while 14 investigations were taking place in England, Scotland and Wales.

- REUTERS