Coroners and Justice Bill
12:00 pm
Deborah Coles: Can I just mention something that André touched on earlier, which is not in the Bill at all, namely the question of public funding for families to be represented at inquests, particularly in those cases involving public authorities or article 2 cases. I raise that because we welcome the fact that the Government have recognised the rights of bereaved people through this process and the importance of ensuring that families have access to information about how to negotiate the coroners’ inquest system. But there is nothing in the Bill about non-means-tested public funding for families, which is in stark contrast to the situation of Government-appointed lawyers, who represent the state at inquests all over the country and who are paid for out of public funds. You can have a situation such as André described where you have counsel representing the state interests, while the family are unrepresented and alone. Although there is exceptional public funding, it is extremely difficult for families to access. It is means-tested, which essentially means that anyone living in London who happens to own their own home does not qualify. That is something that causes untold distress. We have had families who have withdrawn from an inquest, which, after all, is what they have been given as their opportunity to find out what happened. But they have withdrawn from the process because it is so intrusive and bureaucratic. I urge the Committee to give that some attention, because we feel strongly that that would go towards making the inquest system a much better one for bereaved people.