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<p>The Ministry of Justice publishes <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coroners-and-burials-statistics"
target="_blank">Coroner Statistics</a> each May covering the preceding calendar year.
The information is collated from data provided by each of the 81 coroner areas across
England and Wales.</p><p> </p><p>Data from the published statistics is set out in
the table below, across all coroner areas for each of the last five years, on the
total number of inquests recorded, the average length of inquests, the total number
of inquests open for more than two years, and the total number of inquests suspended
and not resumed. The requested information for inquests adjourned for longer than
two years in England, London and Barnet only is not collated as part of the annual
statistics. <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1155711/coroners-statistics-2022-csvs.zip"
target="_blank">Table CSV</a> included in the annual publication provides further
information for adjourned inquests by coroner area.</p><p>The published statistics
also record the average length of an inquest in individual coroner areas and Barnet
is part of the North London Coroner area with Brent, Harrow, Haringey and Enfield.
Table 13 collates this information by region.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice
does not have a target for the length of time an inquest should take. Coroners are
independent judicial office holders and the way they manage their caseload is a matter
for them. Following the Covid-19 pandemic the Chief Coroner issued <a href="https://www.judiciary.uk/guidance-and-resources/chief-coroners-guidance-no-39-recovery-from-the-covid-19-pandemic/"
target="_blank">guidance</a> to coroners on how their services can best recover and
tackle backlogs that accumulated in some areas.</p><p> </p><p>Regulation 26 of the
Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013 require coroners to notify the Chief Coroner
of any investigation which has not been completed or discontinued within a year of
the death being reported to them, and provide reasons for this. They must also notify
the Chief Coroner when such investigations are completed or discontinued.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p><strong>2022</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number
of inquests recorded </strong></p></td><td><p>36,273</p></td><td><p>32,762</p></td><td><p>31,991</p></td><td><p>29,969</p></td><td><p>29,094</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Average
length of inquest </strong></p></td><td><p>30 weeks</p></td><td><p>31 weeks</p></td><td><p>27
weeks</p></td><td><p>27 weeks</p></td><td><p>26 weeks</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Inquests
open for more than 2 years at year end </strong></p></td><td><p>1,760</p></td><td><p>1,366</p></td><td><p>1,104</p></td><td><p>601</p></td><td><p>472</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Inquests
suspended due to criminal proceedings and not resumed </strong></p></td><td><p>748</p></td><td><p>729</p></td><td><p>599</p></td><td><p>849</p></td><td><p>834</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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