date: 23 March 2005 embargo: For immediate release

Attention: industrial and political correspondents, health and safety media

TUC welcomes draft corporate manslaughter bill

Welcoming the publication today (Wednesday) of a draft bill on corporate manslaughter, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

"We are pleased that the Government has honoured its commitment to publish draft legislation on corporate killing in this session of Parliament. This proposed legislation will help make the workplace safer by providing a new sanction against those organisations who show scant regard for the health and safety of their employees.

'The TUC recognises that the draft Bill covers a number of complex areas and we are pleased that the Government has agreed that the legislation should apply to Crown bodies, but are disappointed that the draft bill does not threaten individual directors with the ultimate sanction of a jail sentence."

The TUC will be responding to the consultation in detail at a later date.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

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Contacts:

Media enquiries : Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248; M: 07778 158175; E: media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 23 Mar 2005