HC Deb 04 November 1965 vol 718 cc1211-2
27. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require coroners to release bodies of air crash victims as soon as possible.

Sir F. Soskice

I have no evidence that there is any need for legislation on this matter.

Mr. Dalyell

Let us suppose that one of us had been a victim of the Edinburgh-London Vanguard disaster—and it might easily have been so: would not our relatives have wished to have been spared the additional agony of having to wait many days before making funeral arrangements?

Sir F. Soskice

I have no doubt that Her Majesty's coroners, who are independent judicial officers over whom I have no control, bear those considerations fully in mind.