20-May-2003

WHITEHEAD WELCOMES MOVE ON CORPORATE KILLING LAW

After campaigning for changes in the law to create a new offence of corporate manslaughter, Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead has today welcomed the announcement by the Home Secretary of a new Bill to create a law governing corporate killing.

He has supported a number of House of Commons Early Day Motions on the subject - the most recent of which attracted 137 signatures from MPs in February of this year. Mr Whitehead was also one of 82 Labour MPs who signed an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill currently before Parliament.

Alan Whitehead said,
"This is a significant announcement by the government and is a welcome response to both the public and parliamentary pressure that has been bought to bear on this issue. It really is no longer acceptable for senior executives of major corporations to be able to escape prosecution for grossly negligent failures of management, which put lives in danger. A new law of corporate killing can never bring back to life the 2000 people who have died in work related incidents since 1997 or those who perished in the Southall, Paddington or Potters Bar rail crashes but it will force health and safety issues higher up the boardroom agenda which must be in the public interest."

ENDS

Contact

Mike Collins in the constituency office on 023 8023 1942 or 07855 328914