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A commitment by Home Secretary David Blunkett to bring forward corporate killing proposals this year has drawn criticism from unions and campaigners for letting negligent company directors off the hook.

Saying a timetable for introducing the new law would be announced in the autumn, Blunkett said: "There is great public concern at the criminal law's lack of success in convicting companies of manslaughter where a death has occurred due to gross negligence by the organisation as a whole. The law needs to be clear and effective in order to secure public confidence and must bite properly on large corporations whose failure to set or maintain standards causes a death."

However, the statement said the criminal liability of individual directors will not be targeted by the proposals. Kim Sunley, safety director at general union GMB, commented: “Nothing will focus the mind of company directors more than the threat of imprisonment. This must be explicit within the legislation.”

George Brumwell, general secretary of construction union UCATT and a TUC nominee on the Health and Safety Commission, said there was not need for any more consultation, adding: “In the most serious cases the penalty should include imprisonment for individual directors. If custodial sentences can be given for cruelty to animals or killing someone outside work, there is no reason why the same penalty should not apply to a death at work.”

A number of Labour MPs, including Andrew Dismore, who’s proposed corporate killing amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill prompted the Home Secretary’s statement this week (Risks 99), have also backed calls for company directors to be included in the scope of the proposed law. Employers’ organisations are split on the proposals.

Ruth Lea of the Institute of Directors said that if a manager or safety officer was responsible for recklessness that led to a death, they should have the book thrown at them. But CBI said it was pleased at the let off for bosses.

TUC general secretary elect Brendan Barber said: “Unions are keen to help draft the detail of the proposed legislation in partnership with employers. This move will be good for workers, good for the public and good for responsible and accountable employers.”

Home Office news release • GMB news release • TUC news release • IMF news release • CIEH news release • The Guardian • BBC News Online • The Independent • Ananova • CBI news release

Latest news: The manslaughter law updates page from the Centre for Corporate Accountability and the TUC/Hazards “deadly business” campaign

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