Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill

To make the position clear, my suggestion about the link-up was simply that it would allow the entire issue to be brought before one court if there was any doubt about it. That would go some way toward meeting the need for a director who was found culpable of a health and safety at work offence to be present in court at the same time that the conviction for corporate manslaughter might be recorded against the corporation. That could have a significant impact in terms of adverse publicity, for example. However, I cannot support turning the 1974 Act into an offence that attracts imprisonment for individuals: it is about carelessness, not gross negligence, and in my view to do so would be philosophically wrong. Similarly, and coming back to the old theme, if somebody is culpable of gross negligence, let them be prosecuted and charged for manslaughter under the existing law.