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Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill

My Lords, I support my noble friend’s amendment, to which I have put my name. This is an opportunity again for the Government to think about this matter. I cannot for the life of me see why somebody who has, "““connived, conspired or colluded in the commission of an offence””," should not themselves be liable. As we have said before, it is entirely new under this Bill that secondary liability does not apply. We feel that it should. Major disasters have occurred—indeed, a major disaster, which is still under investigation, occurred last week, with the rail accident in Cumbria. We must ensure that, if people in senior management positions are negligent, they are brought to book for ignoring what was a possibility. This is an attempt to get the Government to think again. Secondary liability was recommended by the Select Committee. I asked about this in Committee and still do not understand why the Government did not go along with it, but I hope that they agree with us on this amendment.