date: 7 March 2003 embargo: 00:01 hrs Tuesday 11 March 2003

Attention: industrial, legal, business and political correspondents, health and safety media.

MPs call for corporate killing law

MPs from the UK’s three main political parties will be pressing the case for a new law against corporate killing, promised in Labour’s 2001 General Election Manifesto, at a meeting in the House of Commons today (Tuesday). A new briefing on corporate killing law will be launched at the meeting by safety groups. And an Early Day Motion on the subject has been tabled to allow MPs to register their support a new law [see notes to editor].

The corporate killing briefing, published by the TUC, the Centre for Corporate Accountability and Disaster Action (an organisation set up by people injured in or bereaved by disasters) explicitly addresses employer concerns. It says:

• a new law would not hit small firms because they can already be prosecuted successfully - it would actually level the playing field and remove the competitive advantage large undertakings currently have.

• the costs of a new law would be more than outweighed by the benefits of improved health and safety and a reduction in deaths at work.

• individual directors would not face further legal penalties under the new law, but would be encouraged to avoid the effect prosecutions would have on their organisation - loss of reputation and heavier fines than under existing law.

• The briefing also criticises proposals that government departments (and even Parliament itself) should be immune from prosecution, under the new offence of corporate killing, as sending out the wrong signal.

Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary Elect said:

'This is not an anti-business issue, it’s anti-bad bosses. Good employers have nothing to fear and a great deal to gain. We welcome the support that we have had from business leaders who know that it’s in no one’s interest for bad bosses to get away with shoddy safety systems. A law against corporate killing will be good for business, good for safety and good for workers and members of the public whose lives are currently being put at risk.'

Andrew Dismore MP, who is speaking at the briefing, said:

'It’s time Parliament debated corporate killing. I hope the Government will give a clear indication of what they will do to implement the manifesto commitment.'

David Bergman from the Centre for Corporate Accountability, which advises families bereaved from work-related deaths, said:

'Time and again families bereaved from work-related deaths and disasters see large companies escaping prosecution for a homicide offence even when their relatives have died as a result of serious failures on the part of the company. They are distressed because of the total lack of criminal accountability and the fact that other companies will, as a result, not be deterred from doing the same to someone else. Immediate legal reform is necessary.'

Notes to Editors:

The briefing launch, chaired by Tony Lloyd MP, Chair of the Trade Union group of Labour MPs, will take place in the Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House, Westminster 6pm - 8pm, Tuesday, 11 March. Speakers include: Labour backbencher Andrew Dismore MP, Conservative MP Tony Baldry, and Liberal Democrat trade and industry spokesperson Vincent Cable MP; Maureen Kavanagh, whose son died in the Southall rail disaster in 1997; Amicus joint General Secretary Derek Simpson and GMB London Regional Secretary Paul Kenny.

Early Day Motion 793, Corporate manslaughter, says:

'That this House regrets that since 1997, over 2000 workers and members of the public have died in work-related incidents, as well as the Southall, Paddington, Hatfield and Potters Bar disasters; notes that during the same period only four companies and two directors have been convicted of the offence of manslaughter and that these were all small firms; recalls that the Law Commission recommended a new offence of corporate manslaughter in 1996 to hold large as well as small undertakings to account for causing death through grossly negligent failures of management; believes that such an offence would increase the accountability of directors and their equivalents, and encourage better safety standards in undertakings; and calls on the Government to put before Parliament measures to enact a new offence of corporate manslaughter as soon as possible.'

All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

A series of TUC rights leaflets are available on our website and from the know your rights line 0870 600 4 882. Lines are open every day from 8am-10pm. Calls are charged at the national rate.

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Ben Hurley on 020 7467 1248 or 07626 317903 (pager) or email bhurley@tuc.org.uk

Other enquiries: Owen Tudor on 020 7467 1325 or 07788 715261 (mobile) or email: otudor@tuc.org.uk

Centre for Corporate Accountability: David Bergman 020 7490 4494

Disaster Action: Pamela Dix 01483 799066

Press release (800 words) issued 11 Mar 2003