HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFENCES: COMPANIES ENTERING ADMINISTRATION

That this House is deeply concerned that companies continue to avoid prosecutions and have fines reduced for committing health and safety offences by going into administration and then re-establishing their business using a slightly different name with the same premises and the same equipment; notes in April this year that Bryn Thomas Crane Hire was convicted for health and safety offences following the death of Mark Thornton in Liverpool in March 2007 and were fined the significantly reduced amount of 4,500 due to the company being in administration; further notes that the owner of Bryn Thomas Crane Hire is now trading as Bryn Thomas Cranes Limited using largely the same plant and equipment; and calls on the Government to introduce stronger legislation to ensure that companies can no longer avoid justice by going into administration.