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Proceeding contribution from Lord Hunt of Wirral (Conservative) in the House of Lords on Thursday, 11 January 2007. It occurred during Debate on bill and Committee proceeding on Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill.


Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill

I do not know which medieval philosopher referred to angels dancing on the head of a pin. I do not think anyone has ever found him, but I am grateful to the Minister for using that phrase. I am a little worried that we may actually be dancing on the point of a pin, which is much more painful. Everyone knows what ““significant”” means. One uses the phrases ““statistically significant”” and ““significant profits””, and recently we have sadly heard of a ““significant number of redundancies””. ““Significant”” is well known and well understood. I think that ““substantial”” is a much more difficult word, although it conveys a high level of meaning in its appearance in Clause 1(3), as the noble Lord, Lord Wedderburn, pointed out. That is where I think it is more readily understood. However, I recognise that I have been rather quixotically chivalrous in the sense of Don Quixote—if I can invoke such a terrible person. This has been a useful debate because we are trying to work out where the dividing line is. It is important that we get it right and that everyone understands it. I shall carefully consider what the Minister said. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendment No. 12 not moved.]


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
688 c150GC 
Session
2006-07
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand Committee
Subjects
Accountability Armed forces Death Companies Crown immunity Corporate manslaughter Liability Health and safety Exemptions Government departments Police Prosecutions Management Public bodies Negligence
Legislation
Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill 2005-06 to 2006-07
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk