Coroners and Justice Bill
12:00 pm
Henry Bellingham (Shadow Minister, Justice; North West Norfolk, Conservative)
I have four quick questions regarding appointments and directed mainly at André Rebello and the Coroners’ Society. First, does the Coroners’ Society feel that the posts of senior, area and assistant coroner should remain freehold? Secondly, does it concern you that the Bill makes provision for the area and assistant coroners to be appointed by the local authority, rather than by the senior coroner? For example, if a local authority had an agenda because it did not have much confidence in the senior coroner, could not there be potential problems of conflict if it decided that it wanted to put its stamp on the appointment of the area and assistant coroners?
Thirdly, do you feel that it is right that medically qualified professionals will be precluded from applying for those posts? Fourthly, does it concern you that senior coroners, who effectively are very experienced members of the judiciary, will be precluded from applying for the post of deputy chief coroner, as those are all based on appointment? Those questions run together.