26.06.2007

UK corporate manslaughter bill defeated

The UK government was defeated again yesterday when the House of Lords repeated its demand that deaths in prison and police custody should come within the scope of the proposed new laws on corporate manslaughter.

The lords rejected ministers' offers, made in the House of Commons, to use regulations at a future unspecified date to extend the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill to include deaths in custody.

Instead a majority of 38 voted or the change to be made in the legislation before it becomes law.

Government ministers will now have to decide whether to ask the House of Commons to overturn the Lords defeat for a third time or not.