§ 17. Mrs. Braddockasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend Section 3 (2) of the Coroners Act, 1887, by adding retired prison officers in receipt of a pension to the list of persons disqualified as jurors in inquests held on persons dying in prison.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI have no grounds for thinking that there is any need for such legislation.
§ Mrs. BraddockIs the Home Secretary aware that the list of disqualifications does not include retired prison officers, and that there is general concern about the fact that on inquests on prisoners who die in prison the jury should not include any retired prison officer who is drawing a pension from the State? Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman look at the list and give an assurance that the disqualifications stated in the Section will apply to the people to whom I have referred?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeIt is generally undesirable that retired prison officers, for instance, should be members of such a jury, and I will take steps to see that they are not. There was such a case two or three years ago, and I think that the attention of coroners was drawn to it. I will draw their attention to the matter again, if necessary.