The Attorney General has been asked to explain why there have been only two companies prosecuted under the Corporate Manslaughter Act since it came into force nearly four years ago.
Dominic Grieve QC was challenged in the Commons by his Labour shadow Emily Thornberry, who asked whether he knew "what's wrong". Mr Grieve, who accepted the query was a "very sensible and pertinent question", said he had discussed the matter with the Director of Public Prosecutions. He said his interest in the Act, which came into force on April 6 2008, was heightened by his own background as a health and safety practitioner.
Ms Thornberry said only two companies had ever been prosecuted under this Act "despite the fact that between 250 and 300 people die at work each year".
Mr Grieve replied: "I don't know of any evidence to suggest that the Crown Prosecution Service are not correctly applying their own approach to when corporate manslaughter is appropriate."
Copyright Press Association 2012
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