Justice Committee to question Chief Coroner and deputies as part of its new inquiry into the Coroner Service
The Justice Committee will take evidence from the Chief Coroner for England and Wales and the two Deputy Chief Coroners during the first evidence session of its new inquiry into the Coroner Service to examine changes made since 2021.
Meeting details
MPs will hear from His Honour Judge Thomas Teague KC, Chief Coroner for England and Wales, Derek Winter Deputy Lieutenant, Senior Coroner for Sunderland, Deputy Chief Coroner and Her Honour Judge Alexia Durran, Senior Circuit Judge and Deputy Chief Coroner.
The cross-party committee of MPs launched the inquiry in November 2023 as a follow up to the Committee’s 2021 inquiry into the Coroner Service of England and Wales. Discussion is expected to focus on the current state of the Coroner Service following the Chief Coroner’s recently completed national tour, during which he visited every coroner area in England and Wales.
The session is also expected to touch upon how the service has changed since the Committee’s earlier report; the challenges the service faces in the coming years; delays; whether the coroners’ role in preventing future deaths is working as well as it could and whether coroners are providing a consistent and appropriate response to the needs of faith groups.
During the 2019-21 session the Committee conducted an inquiry examining the effectiveness and capacity of the Coroner Service. This inquiry builds on and revisits that work. It is considering what has changed in the Coroner Service since 2021, checking on the progress that has been made on the Committee’s earlier recommendations.