Minister speaks on controversial "corporate killing" legislation

Citation

(2001), "Minister speaks on controversial "corporate killing" legislation", Facilities, Vol. 19 No. 7/8. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.2001.06919gab.005

Minister speaks on controversial "corporate killing" legislation

Minister speaks on controversial "corporate killing" legislation

Keywords: Internet, Environment, Legislation, Health and safety

Minister for the Environment Michael Meacher recently outlined details of the Government's controversial new corporate manslaughter legislation. Mr Meacher was speaking at the Corporate Responsibilities and Health and Safety Conference, which was organised by GEE Publishing and Vizards Staples & Bannisters.

Mr Meacher also announced for the first time plans to hold a construction industry health and safety summit this year. He stated that this will involve all parts of the industry, adding: "I have made it clear to the Health and Safety Committee that they must start finding solutions in this area."

The conference was organised in the light of the Government's announcement in May of proposals to amend the current law to include the following new offences:

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  Corporate killing – a specific offence making companies legally accountable for deaths in the workplace, where safety procedures have been below standard, punishable by director disqualification.

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  Reckless killing – where an individual is aware that their conduct will cause death or serious injury.

Other points made by the Minister included:

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  Prison sentences for health and safety crimes. "We want to make prison sentences available for most health and safety crimes, and to increase the maximum fine in the lower courts from £5,000 to £20,000, and of course unlimited fines in the Crown Courts."

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  More clout for courts. "Recently, the courts have been getting tougher and some record fines have been handed out. That's encouraging, but we need to give the courts more clout. We are considering, for example, new, innovative penalties for minor offences."

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  Fixed penalties. "We are also looking at introducing fixed penalties for minor offences."

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  Directors' individual responsibility. "We plan a code of practice to assign safety responsibility to a named director, or responsible person of similar status. But we are also looking at making it mandatory for companies to nominate a director responsible to the board for health and safety."

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  Tougher penalties for non-insurance. "As soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows, we will increase the fine under the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 for non-insurance, and extend the time limit within which related prosecutions can be brought."

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  Health and safety lessons to be added to the National Curriculum. "I am delighted that, from this autumn, the National Curriculum will include more extensive coverage of risk concepts and health and safety skills to educate tomorrow's employers and employees."

For further information contact Nick Canty, GEE Publishing. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7393 7624 or Caroline Long, Bell Pottinger Communications. Tel: +44 (0) 207 353 3444.

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