Coroners Service

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 28 October 2002.

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Photo of Andrew MacKay Andrew MacKay Conservative, Bracknell 2:30, 28 October 2002

Does the Home Secretary also accept that all too often the coroners service is signally failing the public? I shall give him a specific example about which I have been in correspondence with the Under-Secretary, Hilary Benn. The parents of constituents of mine were killed in a car crash in Teesside more than 18 months ago, but because of incompetence and alleged short staffing, there has been no inquest, and the coroner has still not acted. Is there really a shortage of staff, and is the Home Secretary doing anything about it? When will my constituents who are suffering have their minds put at rest?