Oral Answers to Questions

Gavin Shuker Excerpts

Tuesday 13th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Nick Herbert]

I am not sure how many times I can repeat to the right hon. Gentleman that I have said that the Government are considering these matters. I am not going to announce policy on the hoof when very serious issues are raised. It is not proper to make a link between the provisions in the Bill and the case that arose because the restriction on custodial remands in the Bill applies only to magistrates courts and not to the Crown courts—so it would not have affected the case that gave rise to the question.

[Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

5. Whether his Department has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of the implementation of the office of chief coroner.

[Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

19. Whether his Department has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of the implementation of the office of the chief coroner.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Jonathan Djanogly)]

An impact assessment for part 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 was published by the Ministry of Justice in December 2008. It summarised the full costs and benefits of implementing the coroner provisions in the Act.

[Gavin Shuker]

I am grateful for that answer. Baroness Finlay, working with the president of the Royal College of Pathologists, proposed a model with much lower running costs—just £300,000—than those that the Government are talking about. So will the Minister accept that the costs for the office he is proposing could be reduced?