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The new law: what will it mean?

14th September 2000
Page 23
Page 23, 14th September 2000 — The new law: what will it mean?
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

On 18 April 2000 the Corporate Homicide Bill was presented to the House of Commons. The Bill is likely to become law before the end of this year. It creates a new offence of corporate killing which can be committed either by any form of corporation, including a limited company, or by a senior officer of that limited company.

The new offences are in addition to—not in replacement of—the existing offences of individual and corporate manslaughter.

The offences are particularly aimed against large corporations and their senior executives—but the law applies equally to any limited company and its officers.

There is no doubt that the new law will have the overwhelming support of the public.

It is likely that the standard set by the new law will be very high and breaches will result in draconian fines and imprisonment.

In this edition of Legal Bulletin we will summarise the existing laws of manslaughter and the proposed laws of corporate killing, and will attempt to identify their impact on haulage companies and their directors.

This new law is a further example of the public demand for ever higher standards and a demand that those who do not comply with those standards suffer the full weight of the law.

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Organisations: House of Commons

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