The conference on 'Corporate Homicide and Director Responsibility' has been organised by the Centre for Corporate Accountability, the organisation promoting worker and public safety. It will be held in Glasgow's Trades House on Friday May 16.
Frank Maguire, Senior Partner of Thompsons Solicitors, who will chair one of the sessions said: "We have campaigned for years alongside our colleagues in the trade unions and labour movement for the introduction of a law on corporate homicide.
"While the new law fails to meet all our aspirations it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction, and I know from talking to company directors that it is already helping focus their minds on improving health and safety provision for their workers.
"The conference will help those concerned with workplace safety better understand the strengths of the new law, and how to utilise its powers to best advantage.
"We will also discuss some of the weaknesses including the failure to close the Transco loophole by continuing to require the identification of a 'controlling mind,' a stipulation that makes it much easier to prosecute small companies, and harder to hold major corporations to account."
The conference has attracted an impressive line-up of speakers. They include:
- Grahame Smith, STUC, General Secretary
- David Watt, Executive Director, the Scottish Institute of Directors
- Alistair McNab, Head of Operations, the Health and Safety Executive in Scotland
- John Watt, Area Procurator Fiscal for Argyll and Clyde
- Professor Christine Cooper, of Strathclyde University
- Laurence Connolly Former Stockline Employ
- Karen Thomson, Familes Against Corporate Killers
