Corporate Manslaughter Bill Finalised: Management Systems To Come Under Scrutiny

After numerous Parliamentary debates and despite fierce Government opposition to demands to extend the scope of the Bill to include deaths in custody by the House of Lords, the Government acceded to the House of Lords demands to facilitate a Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill making its way onto the statute books. The Bill is due to receive Royal Assent within days.

This article takes a brief look at what the Act provides, and how companies should react in the light of the new offence.

The new offence of corporate manslaughter – or corporate homicide in Scotland – is stated under the Act to have been committed in circumstances where: