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Coroners and Justice Bill

Paragraph 9 of Schedule 7 provides for regulations to make provision for or in connection with meeting or reimbursing expenses incurred by senior coroners, area coroners, assistant coroners, the Chief Coroner and his deputies, the Coroner for Treasure and judges and former judges and retired coroners when they conduct an investigation. Paragraphs 5 and 6 of Schedule 8 provide for the Lord Chancellor to pay the Chief Coroner and deputy chief coroners amounts by way of remuneration or allowances and amounts towards expenses incurred by them when performing their functions. We have always intended these regulations to include provision for indemnifying the incumbents of these roles against costs that they incur when defending any claim brought against them in litigation and against subsequent costs or damages that they are ordered to pay. In Committee, however, the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss, and the noble Lords, Lord Alderdice and Lord Thomas, were concerned that the word "expenses" would not include indemnifying these people against costs of damages. I agreed to see whether we could clarify this issue further. Together, Amendments 43 and 45 make it clear that regulations may include provision indemnifying these people against costs that were reasonably incurred in or in connection with legal proceedings: including costs that the person is ordered to pay, damages awarded against the person, and sums that are payable in connection with a reasonable settlement of such proceedings. I hope that the amendments reassure noble Lords about indemnities, and I ask noble Lords to accept them.