Government bodies, including local authorities, will be liable for prosecution for manslaughter for the first time. The decision resulted from the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act receiving royal assent last week. The Act removed crown immunity for the public sector and means local authorities will face unlimited fines if they are found to have caused death due to gross breaches in health and safety. The new law is designed to tighten health and safety obligations across the public and private sectors. Individuals will not be prosecuted under the Act, although the management of senior officials will be considered when convicting organisations. The Act will come into force in April 2008. The most recent high-profile case involving a local authority was Barrow-in-Furness where a legal action was brought after an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease at a leisure centre .
