Written question asked by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Bach (Labour) on Wednesday, 11 November 2009.

Health: vCJD

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the additional costs to the coroners service of testing for vCJD.

Answer: There is currently no additional cost to the coroner service of testing for vCJD. Such testing does not fall within coroners' statutory duties and, as a service, they have declined to engage in a Department of Health-funded research project to test tissue samples obtained at post-mortem for vCJD. Coroners are independent judicial office-holders and there is no authority to compel their involvement in this project. Nevertheless, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State wrote to the Coroners' Society in March 2009 asking coroners to reconsider their position and agree to a number of coroners taking part in a pilot study, but the society declined, citing the difficulties in obtaining consent from bereaved families. Two coroners have, however, agreed on an individual basis to take part in a pilot study for this project, and the Health Protection Agency is liaising with them about their costs.

Secondary information