Government to introduce Deferred Prosecution Agreements

The Ministry of Justice has announced plans to introduce legislation which will allow prosecuting agencies to make 'Deferred Prosecution Agreements' with companies accused of corporate crime.  The Us-style agreements will allow a company to avoid prosecution if it accepts culpability, takes corrective action and pays a financial penalty.  If the company does not comply with the terms of an agreement then a prosecution can be brought.

Unlike the Us model, the Ministry of Justice says that the law would require the agreements to be supervised by the judiciary, made in court and published so that the process it 'entirely transparent'.