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Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill

The noble Lord raises an important point. It is important to ensure that the prosecution has the full range of offences available to it when it considers what prosecution should be mounted. I am sure that the noble Lord will agree that it is not simply a matter of individuals being held responsible for health and safety legislation, but in some instances individual directors may be held responsible for corporate manslaughter or corporate killing in Scotland. I would be very interested to hear what the Minister says in reply. My concern about the amendment is one that I know lawyers always have: having something in the Bill that says that it does not hinder that particular aspect does not mean that the intention of Parliament was to hinder something else; for example, individuals being held responsible for corporate manslaughter. That is my gut reaction. I suspect that we will be told that that is not necessary. My interpretation is that the amendment is not necessary because it is quite clear that the full range of statutory and, in Scotland, common law offences remain in respect of individuals.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

688 c157-8GC 

Session

2006-07

Chamber / Committee

House of Lords Grand Committee
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