§ 47. Mr. MANDERasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government has yet replied to the communication despatched by the League of Nations on 16th February, asking that they should indicate whether, in their opinion, it would be expedient to draft an international convention by which bribery, as it is contemplated in the Economic Committee's Report, may be made specifically criminal in all signatory states, and legal redress, civil and criminal, should be assured by the contracting parties to the nationals of the other contracting parties?
§ Mr. JOHN COLVILLE (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)Yes, Sir. His Majesty's Government have indicated that in their view the preparation of an International Convention is not a suitable method of dealing with this question, and they consider it preferable that Governments should be requested, by a League of Nations resolution, to direct their efforts to forming a strong public opinion on the subject in their respective countries and to pass legislation on the lines indicated in the Economic Committee's Report, where such legislation does not already exist. This report draws attention to the stringent and comprehensive legislation already existing in the United Kingdom.