Ahead of today’s debate on the Public Bodies Bill, 18 national charities have written to the Times to urge MPs to vote to take the office of the Chief Coroner out of the Bill. The letter reads
Charities supporting bereaved people will be watching MPs closely today. Two years ago we welcomed Parliament’s decision to establish a Chief Coroner. Now as part of the Public Bodies Bill before the House of Commons today, the Government proposes to dismantle this vital post.
Inquests into contentious or sudden deaths – in accidents, in road crashes, at work, through suicide, in custody or in the Armed Forces – are often the only public forum in which bereaved people can seek answers and other lives can be safeguarded. But they are beset with unacceptable delays, inconsistent standards of service.
The Chief Coroner, as the centrepiece of the Coroners and Justice Act passed with cross-party support in 2009, underpins a necessary overhaul. The role was designed to ensure judicial oversight, enforce national standards and increase accountability. The Chief Coroner would lead the development of a functioning system that could make a vital contribution to saving lives.
The proposals to dismantle the role and transfer certain responsibilities to others will not bring about the reform necessary to improve bereaved families’ experiences. Instead, the piecemeal measures will add further complexity and uncertainty to an already fragmented system.
We must not lose this opportunity to create an inquest system fit for the 21st Century with bereaved families at its heart. That is why we urge all MPs to support the amendment tabled by Conservative backbencher, Andrew Percy MP, to remove the Chief Coroner from the Bill.
Helen Shaw, Co-Director, INQUEST
Chris Simpkins, Director General, The Royal British Legion
Javed Khan, Chief Executive, Victim Support
Debbie Kerslake, Chief Executive, Cruse Bereavement Care
Pamela Dix, Executive Director, Disaster Action
Catherine Johnstone, Chief Executive, Samaritans
Alison Penny, Childhood Bereavement Network: National Children’s Bureau
Ann Chalmers, Chief Executive, Child Bereavement Charity
Mark Goldring CBE, Chief Executive, Mencap
Neal Long, Chief Executive, Sands
Angela Samata, Chair, Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
Diana Youdale, Chief Executive, The Compassionate Friends
Peter Walsh, Chief Executive, Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA)
Stephanie Trotter OBE, President & Director, CO-Gas Safety
Cynthia Barlow, Chair, RoadPeace
Alison Cox MBE, Founder & Chief Executive, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY)
David Hines, Chairman, National Victims’ Association
Eve Henderson, Director & Co-founder, Support After Murder & Manslaughter Abroad
Notes to editors:
INQUEST’s press release 24 October MPs URGED TO VOTE TO SAVE THE CHIEF CORONER can be read here.
Charities Call On Mps To Vote For The Chief Coroner
CONTENT WARNING: Please read with care as this page may involve information on death, suicide, mental illness, disability, state neglect, and police and prison violence that some people may find upsetting. If you need support, please visit our support page.
Ahead of today’s debate on the Public Bodies Bill, 18 national charities have written to the Times to urge MPs to vote to take the office of the Chief Coroner out of the Bill. The letter reads
Charities supporting bereaved people will be watching MPs closely today. Two years ago we welcomed Parliament’s decision to establish a Chief Coroner. Now as part of the Public Bodies Bill before the House of Commons today, the Government proposes to dismantle this vital post.
Inquests into contentious or sudden deaths – in accidents, in road crashes, at work, through suicide, in custody or in the Armed Forces – are often the only public forum in which bereaved people can seek answers and other lives can be safeguarded. But they are beset with unacceptable delays, inconsistent standards of service.
The Chief Coroner, as the centrepiece of the Coroners and Justice Act passed with cross-party support in 2009, underpins a necessary overhaul. The role was designed to ensure judicial oversight, enforce national standards and increase accountability. The Chief Coroner would lead the development of a functioning system that could make a vital contribution to saving lives.
The proposals to dismantle the role and transfer certain responsibilities to others will not bring about the reform necessary to improve bereaved families’ experiences. Instead, the piecemeal measures will add further complexity and uncertainty to an already fragmented system.
We must not lose this opportunity to create an inquest system fit for the 21st Century with bereaved families at its heart. That is why we urge all MPs to support the amendment tabled by Conservative backbencher, Andrew Percy MP, to remove the Chief Coroner from the Bill.
Helen Shaw, Co-Director, INQUEST
Chris Simpkins, Director General, The Royal British Legion
Javed Khan, Chief Executive, Victim Support
Debbie Kerslake, Chief Executive, Cruse Bereavement Care
Pamela Dix, Executive Director, Disaster Action
Catherine Johnstone, Chief Executive, Samaritans
Alison Penny, Childhood Bereavement Network: National Children’s Bureau
Ann Chalmers, Chief Executive, Child Bereavement Charity
Mark Goldring CBE, Chief Executive, Mencap
Neal Long, Chief Executive, Sands
Angela Samata, Chair, Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
Diana Youdale, Chief Executive, The Compassionate Friends
Peter Walsh, Chief Executive, Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA)
Stephanie Trotter OBE, President & Director, CO-Gas Safety
Cynthia Barlow, Chair, RoadPeace
Alison Cox MBE, Founder & Chief Executive, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY)
David Hines, Chairman, National Victims’ Association
Eve Henderson, Director & Co-founder, Support After Murder & Manslaughter Abroad
Notes to editors:
INQUEST’s press release 24 October MPs URGED TO VOTE TO SAVE THE CHIEF CORONER can be read here.
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