Legislation making it easier to prosecute businesses responsible for fatal accidents were left out of the government's legislative timetable for the new parliamentary session, revealed a report.
It said the omission would disappoint campaigners who had been pushing for tougher laws following the Paddington and Hatfield rail disasters.
The government was expected to commit itself to introducing a corporate manslaughter law next year. Draft proposals could still be introduced before the end of the year.
As the law stands, businesses can be convicted of manslaughter only if it can be shown that a senior manager was responsible. Large companies where lines of responsibility are less clear can escape prosecution for this reason, said the report. So far only five small companies have been found guilty of manslaughter.
According to the report, the government is believed to be considering legal changes under which companies could be found guilty of corporate manslaughter if deaths were caused by general `management failure'.
Earlier this year, network rail and engineering firm Balfour Beatty was charged with corporate manslaughter over its role in the Hatfield rail crash in October 2000, concluded the report.
