§ Mr. StringerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the proposed new offence of corporate manslaughter will apply to(a) Crown properties and (b) Government departments. [115283]
§ Paul Goggins[holding answer 22 May 2003]As we announced during the Report stage of the Criminal Justice Bill, we intend to legislate to ensure that companies where a death has occurred due to gross negligence by the organisation as a whole are liable for manslaughter under the criminal law. The legislation will be targeted at companies, not individual directors. We will announce further details of the proposals, including the position of Crown bodies in respect of the legislation, before the end of the year.