PRESS RELEASE : Serious Fraud Office on track to implement Calvert-Smith review recommendations [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 29 November 2022.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has made significant progress towards better record keeping, case assurance and resourcing, following recommendations made by Sir David Calvert-Smith, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has announced today.

Following the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the Unaoil case (R. v Akle & Anor) in December 2021, the then Attorney General, the Rt Hon. Suella Braverman KC MP, commissioned Sir David Calvert-Smith to conduct an independent review into the SFO’s handling of the case.

Sir David’s review, and a response to his 11 recommendations, were published on 21 July 2022. Following the commitment made when the review was published, the Attorney General, the Rt Hon. Victoria Prentis MP today updated parliament on the progress that has been made in delivering Sir David’s recommendations. The AGO has also published a detailed progress update.

At the same time, the SFO has also today published an update on its progress to date against the recommendations set out in Brian Altman KC’s independent review of R. v Woods & Marshall, which was also published on 21 July 2022.

Commenting on the updates, the Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson MP said:

The Attorney General and I are pleased to see real progress being made in line with Sir David’s review. The Serious Fraud Office has put measures in place for nine of his 11 recommendations and in the longer term, work has begun on the remaining two to make sure these important changes are completed to a high standard.

We also welcome the SFO’s further improvement work, highlighted today, in bringing forward and implementing the recommendations set out in Brian Altman’s KC’s review of R. v Woods & Marshall.

Continued work to deliver and embed the recommendations of both reviews will remain a key priority for both the Law Officers and the Director of the SFO.

Commenting on the updates, Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Lisa Osofsky said:

We haven’t stopped fighting serious economic crime, as shown by the recent sentencing of Glencore Energy UK Ltd for seven counts of bribery and a record-breaking penalty, which the company paid in full last week.

“Thanks to the dedication and persistence of my team, we are on track to embed the organisational improvements that will ensure our continued success.”