HC Deb 15 February 1967 vol 741 cc126-7W
Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will put to the departmental committee now considering the duties of coroners a proposal that unless there are urgent reasons to the contrary, which should be disclosed, close relatives of the deceased should in all cases be enabled to be present at the inquest.

Mr. Roy Jenkins

Rule 14 of the Coroners Rules, 1953 provides that every inquest shall be held in public unless the coroner decides that it would be in the interests of national security to exclude the public. Close relatives of the deceased are thus already entitled to be present at the inquest save in exceptional circumstances. If the right hon. Member has some special problem in mind and will let me know of it, I shall be glad to consider bringing it to the attention of the Departmental Committee on Death Certification and Coroners.