Serious concerns’ raised over UKEF by Spotlight on Corruption

(CITY AM, London, 6 July 2020) A report released today by Spotlight on Corruption found that UKEF is supporting sectors prone to corruption as part of its post-Brexit export drive. UKEF gave support worth £4.4bn to 339 companies over the past year. More than half of UKEF’s priority markets rank in the bottom 50 per cent of corruption indices, including infrastructure and defence in countries that are at a high risk for corruption, the report found. The report assesses the lessons from recent corruption scandals involving UKEF backed companies. On July 31st a British government committee launched a fresh inquiry into the activities of UK Export Finance (UKEF), following criticism of the agency’s project choice, target-setting and lack of user-friendliness. Exporters are being asked to contribute their views on UKEF here with a deadline of Friday 25 September.