If the Bill is not passed by both the Commons and Lords by July 19 2007 then it may fail.

The Corporate Manslaughter Bill is still ping-ponging back and forth between the two houses of parliament.

If the Bill is not passed by both houses by July 19 2007 then it may fail.

So far, all parts of the Bill have been agreed - except for whether or not the new offence will apply to deaths in state custody or not.

At a second reading the Lords again rejected the Commons amendment and passed a further amendment applying the bill to deaths in custody.

The Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) said: “It remains absolutely vital that the Government does follow though with its commitment to change the law and impose duties on directors at the first possible opportunity. Such a legal change would save lives by improving health and safety culture.”

David Bergman, executive director of the CCA, said: "A more significant legal change would be to impose positive legal responsibility on company directors for health and safety law."