Minister pledges to deliver law on work manslaughter
Minister pledges to deliver law on work manslaughter
Plans to make it easier to prosecute companies in England and Wales after fatal accidents will 'absolutely' be implemented before the end of this parliament, the minister responsible has told the Financial Times.
Fiona Mactaggart, the Home Office minister, said this week that the draft bill could not be shelved indefinitely. Asked if she was confident it would be on the statute book by the end of this parliament, the minister said: 'absolutely'. Earlier in the week she had told the Home Affairs and Work and Pensions Sub-Committee on the Draft Corporate Manslaughter Bill she hoped the Bill would be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allowed. She added that the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) would be reporting on whether there should be regulations brought in to make health and safety duties the responsibility of directors.
HSC chair Bill Callaghan told the sub-committee its recommendations would be published in December. The minister told the Financial Times, however, that the principal sanction under the new law would be a criminal offence for companies only, not board members, stressing under the new law directors would not be facing jail terms. Ms Mactaggart added that the 'government hasn't been given the credit we do deserve for the very radical step of lifting crown immunity' for public sector bodies in relation to most of their operations, including their treatment of employees and their provision of goods and services.
- Financial Times. Personnel Today.
- TUC/Hazards deadly business campaign. Centre for Corporate Accountability webpages on the proposals.
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