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Bribery Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support the amendment tabled by my noble and learned friend because some years ago I was taking equipment into another country with full permission from the authorities there and all the paperwork in order. However, customs officials decided that the equipment was valuable and that a little cash might ease its passage through customs. They did not get any because I was patient and waited for a number of hours at considerable inconvenience to take it through. If I had been in a great hurry and had stuck my hand in my pocket and given something to the customs officials, I would have been caught for bribery when all I was trying to do was to speed up my time after a very long flight—so I was tired—to make certain I got the equipment, for which I already had authority, into the country. A number of people could be caught in similar situations.