Coroners and Justice Bill

Part of the debate – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:51 am on 3 February 2009.

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Photo of Brian Iddon Brian Iddon Labour, Bolton South East 10:51, 3 February 2009

I want to refer to clause 19. I welcome the attempts to improve the accuracy of death certification, particularly with regard to after-use of death certificates. My hon. Friend will know that epidemiologists are interested in death certificates, but my greater interest is in the misuse of drugs and, indeed, in those that cause death.

An important publication from St. George’s hospital is produced by gathering coroners’ information. It is on drug-related deaths as reported by coroners in England and Wales. I have had discussions with Hamid Ghodse, who is one of the compilers of that information, and he sometimes makes the criticism that death certificates do not always mention the drugs that people were using when they died. Therefore my question to the Minister is whether any consideration has been given to making sure that the medical examiner and even the death certificate has proper and accurate information with respect to the drugs that the person was on before death?