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Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill

I thank all hon. Members for the quality of the debate and for their welcome for the way in which the Government have listened to what has been said in the various debates in both Houses. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) for their support for what is a real compromise. I understand where the Opposition are coming from and it is not surprising that they are not prepared to go along with it, but I hope that I can assure them of our earnestness in what we seek to achieve. The hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Jeremy Wright) hit the nail on the head on the view of those outside the House on the Bill. He is right that it has taken a long time for the Bill to reach this stage and it has been many years in waiting, but it is important that it be seen in the context of the way in which it was introduced as health and safety legislation—the missing piece of legislation in holding corporate bodies to account. That was the Bill’s aspiration. I acknowledge and accept the thanks for the Government’s major step forward in removing Crown immunity. We are the first Government to do that, so I hope that hon. Members will understand our concern about moving too far too quickly. The hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) may say that that is said too often, but in these circumstances it is the right approach.