Select committee: Justice Committee
Recommendation 3
1st Report - The Coroner Service
Published 27 May 2021
Addressed to Ministry of Justice
Justice Committee The Coroner Service All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Tom Luce, among others, has identified the Ministry of Justice decision not to publish its 2015 review of the operation of the 2009 Act as a serious breach of a commitment to do so. No good reason has been given for the non-publication of that review. The present Minister’s argument that it is now out of date is not sufficient reason for continuing to withhold it. At the very least, publication would allow that contention to be tested, and no harm can be done if the report’s conclusions truly are obsolete. We recommend that the MoJ immediately publish its 2015 review of the effectiveness of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. (Paragraph 37) Putting bereaved people at the heart of the Coroner Service Reducing delays so the body can be released
From: Justice Committee, 1st Report - The Coroner Service (HC 68), 27 May 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 10 September 2021 (deadline 27 July 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government accepts some of the Committee's recommendations, commits to further work on others, and does not accept others, including a single national coroner service.
- It accepts the recommendation to make it easier to merge coroner areas, which it says is "currently in progress" in the Judicial Review and Courts Bill.
- It does not accept the recommendation to create a single national coroner service, as it does not think this "would necessarily address the issues facing the coronial system or be the best solution".
- On legal aid for inquests, it will take forward legislation to remove the means test for Exceptional Case Funding applications for legal representation, and will consider wider legal aid in its response to Bishop James Jones' report.
- On a Coroner Service Inspectorate, it "could be merit" in the idea but "cannot accept the recommendation at this stage", citing affordability and other ministerial priorities.