The long-awaited draft bill on corporate manslaughter has been published.

The proposals came too late to prevent Tony Blair breaking a 2001 manifesto pledge to change the law in this parliament as the draft bill will be out for consultation until June.

Charles Clarke, the home secretary, said the delay was due to the "extremely complex area of law" the proposals covered.

The proposed offence would make companies liable for a criminal conviction for manslaughter and an unlimited fine if its "gross" management failings led to the deaths of employees or people to whom it was supplying goods or services.