The Bribery Act will not come into force in April, the Ministry of Justice confirmed today.

An MoJ spokeswoman said that the ministry is working on implementing guidance ‘to make it practical and comprehensive for business’.

Business leaders had criticised the legislation as being unclear and ill-defined. The act received royal assent while Labour was in power, but the current government later reviewed the legislation.

The MoJ spokeswoman said that publication of the guidance will be followed by a three-month notice period before the act is implemented.

The Bribery Act introduces a corporate offence of failing to prevent bribery, under which company executives could face personal criminal liability if found to have connived or consented to offering or receiving a bribe. Companies will have a defence if they can show they had adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery.