" I also believe that a quite a few years ago the NAO conducted an audit of the whole Al Yamamah contract. "
Think you will find the original AY contract was negotiated by the UK and Saudi governments and BAe's role is as the 'prime contractor' for delivery of kit. This next contract for Typhoon seems to be the same.
Re commissions. Things that may or not have been done in the business world of 15 or 20 years ago, are often not done today. Surely the reason for this is as much about different attitudes in society today than years gone by. We see this across many business and also non business applications.
The real question is whether anyone, no matter who it is, broke any laws. If there is hard, factual evidence to suggest they did, they should be dealt with accordingly.
But the SFO, which seems quick to speak (or leak) information to members of the national media, would appear no closer to producing anything that would indicate this to be the case. If it had, charges would surely have been pressed by now.
It will be interesting to see how long this organisation will be allowed to adopt this approach, without results. Or will BAe have a case for claiming damage to its business through contiunued and unsubstantiated allegations against it?