Memorandum submitted by Ministry of Justice (CJ 16)

 

 

Coroners and Justice Bill: Commons Committee Stage Government Amendments

 

I am writing to let you have details of the Government amendments to Part 1 of the Bill which I have tabled today for Committee Stage.

 

The amendments addresses the following matter:

 

Investigations by a judge (amendments to clause 31 and Schedules 8 and 20)

 

One of the reforms made by the Bill is the greater flexibility afforded in transferring responsibility for conducting an investigation from one coroner to another. It will also be open to the Chief Coroner either to assume personal responsibility for the conduct of an investigation or to request the Lord Chief Justice to nominate a High Court or Circuit judge to conduct an investigation. Given the pressures on the High Court Bench it would be prudent to provide also for the appointment of a retired High Court or Court of Appeal judge or a retired senior coroner who has not yet reached the age of 75. This change would ensure that adequate flexibility is built into the arrangements for investigating deaths by providing a sufficient pool of people with the right experience to conduct particularly sensitive inquests or to relieve pressures on particular coroners.

 

I am copying this letter to members of the Committee and the Scrutiny Unit. I am also placing a copy on the Ministry of Justice website.

 

 

February 2008