Written question asked by Emily Thornberry (Labour) on Friday, 9 December 2022, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 13 December 2022. It was answered by Mike Freer (Conservative) on Monday, 19 December 2022 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Coroners: Appeals

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he will respond to the recommendation of the Justice Committee in its report on the Coroner Service published on 27 May 2021, that a system of appeals against coroners’ decisions, similar to that in Section 40 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 as originally enacted, should be introduced.

Answer: As set out in the Government’s response to the Justice Committee’s First Report on the Coroner Service, we undertook to implement six of the Committee’s recommendations and consider 10 further recommendations, including the introduction of a system of appeals against coroners’ decisions. We will take forward any actions arising from that further consideration as soon as is practicable. However, as outlined in the Government’s response, any appeals system would need to be proportionate, should not make the coronial system adversarial, and must avoid overwhelming the Chief Coroner’s Office.

Secondary information