Schedule 3
Coroners and Justice Bill
6:45 pm
Bridget Prentice (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Lewisham East, Labour)
All I have to say is that if any member of the public is aware that coroners are freehold office holders, I suspect that very few know what it means. It is an historical throwback and the Bill provides us with an opportunity to remove it. I do not think that by so doing we will undermine coroners’ independence, which is referred to throughout the Bill. I therefore resist the amendment.