David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, told the Labour Party conference that this autumn the Government would publish a draft Bill on corporate killing “that has been awaited for so long” Mr Blunkett said: “No one should be able to get away with gross negligence and the death of others in the way that has been the case for far too long.”

Publishing the Bill in draft form means it is highly unlikely to become law before a general election, expected next May. The government said it would publish a draft bill last autumn as well, but didn’t. A promise to introduce legislation has been in the Labour Manifesto since 2001.