Judiciary website<\/a> unless, exceptionally, he decides not to do so in order to protect an individual\u2019s privacy and/or to protect the public from harm. The number of PFD reports published by the Chief Coroner was 384 in 2018; 595 in 2019; and 301 in 2020.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4941", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bellamy"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bellamy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-07-17T13:30:45.133Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government how many reports to prevent other deaths were issued by coroners in England and Wales in each of the five most recent years for which figures are available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1463", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Watson of Wyre Forest"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Watson of Wyre Forest"}
], "uin" : "HL9054"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1623900", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1623900/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "Coroners are independent judicial officers and the way in which they conduct their investigations is entirely a matter for them. It would therefore be inappropriate for the Government to comment on, or intervene in, the coroner\u2019s decisions in relation to an individual case.<\/p>
<\/p>
There is no specific statutory requirement for a coroner to respond to an email from an interested person. However, the Coroners (Inquest) Rules 2013 and the Coroner (Investigations) Regulations 2013 provide a framework for managing disclosure, including after inquest, to Interested Persons and others. In addition, the Chief Coroner has issued guidance to coroners on disclosure to interested persons (Chief Coroner\u2019s Guidance No.25 on Coroners and the Media).<\/p>
<\/p>
If a family has concerns about a decision made by the coroner, they may want to seek to discuss this with the coroner. Judicial decisions by coroners are capable of being challenged by making an application to the High Court for judicial review. Complaints about the personal conduct of a coroner can be made to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4941", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bellamy"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bellamy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-05-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL7436"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-05-10T14:14:03.767Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-04-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any requirement for a coroner functus officio to respond to emails of an interested person.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2024", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hunt of Kings Heath"}
], "uin" : "HL7435"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1623901", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1623901/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Coroners are independent judicial officers and the way in which they conduct their investigations is entirely a matter for them. It would therefore be inappropriate for the Government to comment on, or intervene in, the coroner\u2019s decisions in relation to an individual case.<\/p>
<\/p>
There is no specific statutory requirement for a coroner to respond to an email from an interested person. However, the Coroners (Inquest) Rules 2013 and the Coroner (Investigations) Regulations 2013 provide a framework for managing disclosure, including after inquest, to Interested Persons and others. In addition, the Chief Coroner has issued guidance to coroners on disclosure to interested persons (Chief Coroner\u2019s Guidance No.25 on Coroners and the Media).<\/p>
<\/p>
If a family has concerns about a decision made by the coroner, they may want to seek to discuss this with the coroner. Judicial decisions by coroners are capable of being challenged by making an application to the High Court for judicial review. Complaints about the personal conduct of a coroner can be made to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4941", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bellamy"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bellamy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-05-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL7435"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-05-10T14:14:03.817Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-04-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any requirement for a coroner functus officio to provide on request the list of court evidence to an interested person.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2024", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hunt of Kings Heath"}
], "uin" : "HL7436"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1520872", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1520872/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government continues to work with stakeholders to make inquests more sensitive to the needs of bereaved families, who remain at the heart of the coroner service.<\/p>
We are therefore committed to implementing the six Justice Committee recommendations which we accepted in our response to its First Report on the Coroner Service. To this end, we have already included in the Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 a suite of measures aimed at streamlining processes in the coroner\u2019s courts and supporting the Chief Coroner\u2019s post-pandemic recovery plans. A further provision makes it easier for coroner areas to merge, as recommended by the Justice Committee.<\/p>
Following the recommendation that we should improve access to the Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People, we are assessing how best to ensure availability in light of user needs.<\/p>
We are also considering ten further recommendations made to Government, as outlined in our response, and will take forward any appropriate action as soon as practicable.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4941", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bellamy"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bellamy"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-10-25T14:46:15.517Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-10-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to implement the recommendations they outlined in The Coroner Service: Government Response to the Committee\u2019s First Report, published on 10 September 2021 (HC 675).", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4301", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Hodgson of Abinger"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Hodgson of Abinger"}
], "uin" : "HL2475"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1504071", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1504071/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
As set out on the Chief Coroner\u2019s webpage, publication of PFD reports has been temporarily suspended to facilitate the transition to a new Judiciary website and will resume as soon as practicable following its launch, which is expected later this autumn. It is intended that all PFD reports issued since suspension of publication will be available from the date of the launch.<\/p>
<\/p>
Where a PFD report is made in relation to a specific inquest, it can be obtained from the coroner and is available to Interested Persons in the context of the inquest, including bereaved families. In addition, there is nothing to prevent organisations that are the subject of a PFD report from sharing and addressing the areas of concern which it sets out.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4800", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Baynes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Clwyd South"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Simon Baynes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "45665"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-07T07:42:04.26Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, why Prevention of Future Deaths Reports have not been published on the Chief Coroner's website since May 2022.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1588", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Keeley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worsley and Eccles South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Barbara Keeley"}
], "uin" : "45631"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1504072", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1504072/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
As set out on the Chief Coroner\u2019s webpage, publication of PFD reports has been temporarily suspended to facilitate the transition to a new Judiciary website and will resume as soon as practicable following its launch, which is expected later this autumn. It is intended that all PFD reports issued since suspension of publication will be available from the date of the launch.<\/p>
<\/p>
Where a PFD report is made in relation to a specific inquest, it can be obtained from the coroner and is available to Interested Persons in the context of the inquest, including bereaved families. In addition, there is nothing to prevent organisations that are the subject of a PFD report from sharing and addressing the areas of concern which it sets out.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4800", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Simon Baynes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Clwyd South"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Simon Baynes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-09-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "45631"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-09-07T07:42:04.307Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Chief Coroner on when Prevention of Future Deaths reports will resume regular online publication.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1588", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Keeley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worsley and Eccles South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Barbara Keeley"}
], "uin" : "45665"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1473201", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1473201/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to ensuring that bereaved families are properly supported and are able to participate in the inquest process. An inquest is intended to be an inquisitorial, fact-finding event, and in the vast majority of cases, representation is not necessary. There is no question of liability nor defendants, only interested persons, and witnesses are not expected to present legal arguments.<\/p>
<\/p>
In certain circumstances, legal representation for bereaved families at inquests may be funded through the Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) scheme. We believe that the process to access this support should be as straightforward as possible, which is why we removed the means test for ECF in relation to these matters.<\/p>
<\/p>
Whilst we acknowledge the call for the provision for legal representation for all bereaved families at inquests to ensure \u201cequality of arms\u201d between families and public bodies, we believe that additional lawyers at an inquest will not provide an overall improvement for the bereaved or change the outcome of the conclusion of an inquest.<\/p>
<\/p>
The refreshed Ministry of Justice Guide to Coroner Services for Bereaved People is better focused on the needs of bereaved people and is designed to support bereaved families and keep them at the heart of the inquest process. The Guide includes number of key principles that government departments and the lawyers it instructs will follow. These include the need to consider the number of lawyers instructed, bearing in mind the commitment to support an inquisitorial approach.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4519", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cartlidge"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cartlidge"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-30T16:14:02.377Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is taking to steps to (a) minimise costs faced by claimants during an inquest when admissions of liability result in reasonable costs no longer being duty of the defendant and (b) allow bereaved families to further establish in law the principle of equality of arms between families and public bodies.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4631", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Jones"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sarah Jones"}
], "uin" : "24650"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1378433", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1378433/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Coroners are independent judicial office holders so it would be inappropriate for Ministers or their officials to interfere in the judicial decisions they make in their investigations and inquests.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4369", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Pursglove"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Corby"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Tom Pursglove"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-11-23T16:57:36.083Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-11-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether officials in his Department are required to provide him with all evidence relating to a death inquest when its findings are under review and subject to a ministerial decision.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4518", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tulip Siddiq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hampstead and Kilburn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tulip Siddiq"}
], "uin" : "75060"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1349050", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1349050/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Coroners are independent judicial office holders. A system of appraisal for assistant coroners which was launched by the previous Chief Coroner in April 2019 is now well-established and a system of appraisal for area and senior coroners is now being developed by the current Chief Coroner following a recently completed pilot scheme.<\/p>
<\/p>
Coroners carry out their role in line with their statutory powers and duties set out in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and the Rules and Regulations which underpin the Act. The Chief Coroner provides leadership, guidance and support to coroners to assist them in their role and Justice Ministers meet the Chief Coroner on a regular basis. On 27 July the Justice Committee published the report of its inquiry into the coroner service. The Government has responded to the Committee\u2019s report and the Committee is expected to publish the response on its website in due course.<\/p>
<\/p>
Since July 2013 when the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 came into force, to be eligible for appointment as a senior, area or assistant coroner, a person has to have a legal qualification. Coroners in post at that time who only had a medical qualification could, however, continue in that role but they would not be eligible for another coroner appointment. Individuals who are both legally and medically qualified remain eligible for appointment.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Chalk"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alex Chalk"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-09-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "37444"}
, {"_value" : "37446"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-09-10T13:54:51.24Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coroners"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of coroners' activities within the legal system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"}
], "uin" : "37445"}
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