27 March 2008
Justice Minister Bridget Prentice has said that the government remains committed to reforming the coroners system, placing the bereaved firmly at the centre of the process.
Changes announced to the draft Coroners Bill in Parliament for the first time include a strengthened obligation on organisations to respond to coroners' recommendations to prevent future deaths, a revised appeal system and new inspection arrangements for the coroners service.
Speaking about these changes, Bridget Prentice said:
'The death of a loved one has a profound impact on family and friends. These proposals will help improve the coroner service and are therefore extremely important not only for those who work within and who interact with the coroner service but above all for the bereaved. I am committed to ensuring this revised Coroners Bill is brought before Parliament as soon as parliamentary time allows.'
In addition, the Ministry of Justice has published a short consultation paper in conjunction with the Press Complaints Commission on how its editors' code might be improved to protect bereaved families. The paper also asks for views on how the code and the role of the Commission can be better brought to the attention of bereaved families.
Further changes to the draft Bill include:
- provision for registered medical practitioners to notify the coroner of relevant deaths
- juries being retained for work place death inquests
- same duty to investigate deaths will apply where a death occurs abroad
- the relevant local authority will have responsibility to provide and maintain whatever accommodation it thinks appropriate to enable the coroner to carry out his or her functions
- the relevant local or police authority will have a responsibility to secure the provision of whatever coroner officers and other staff are needed by the coroner to carry out his or her functions
- transitional arrangements from the current system to a reformed one to ensure that the coroner service continues to operate in every part of the country while the reforms take effect
Notes to editors
1. Briefing note on the coroner reform changes and updates, including the reasons behind them.
2. Discussion paper - sensitive reporting in coroners' courts
3. The formal consultation on the draft Bill lasted until autumn 2006 and over 150 responses were received from stakeholders including coroners, local authorities, medical organisations, the legal profession, media voluntary organisations and members of the public. The Bill was also scrutinised by the then Constitutional Affairs Select Committee (now the Justice Select Committee). The government has continued to consult informally on the specific issues on which it is today announcing how it intends to proceed.
For more information please contact Nilima Fox, Ministry of Justice Press Office on 020 7210 1473 or by email.