Coroners and Justice Bill
12:00 pm
Helen Shaw: On the question of the deputy chief coroner, in a sense, we agree with the Coroners’ Society about the chief coroner being a High Court judge. We think that that is an important and welcome element of judicial oversight in the system. We understand that, if someone is to deputise for the chief coroner, they have to have the same standing, but we also understand that there is the possibility in the Bill of a number of deputy chief coroners. We are concerned about some of the very good work that is being done in the existing coroners system and the need for that to be fed into the new structure. We very much support any changes that could be made to allow existing coroners of, as André says, 10 years’ standing or more to apply for one of those posts.