§ Lord AVEBURYasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what grounds coroners can decline to hear witnesses produced by the lawyers representing the next of kin at an inquest and in particular what comment they will make on the refusal of Lieutenant Colonel McEwan, the coroner at Chertsey Coroner's Court on 10th July at the inquest on Richard Campbell to call the person who brought him his food in the prison hospital, Mr. George Crossley, the ambulance driver who took him to St. Bernard's Hospital, Southall, or Mr. Victor Watson and other family friends who could have given evidence about the lack of any previous history of mental illness.
1318WA
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Belstead)The coroner's powers are set out in Section 4(1) of the Coroners Act 1887: he is required to examine on oath touching the death all persons who tender their evidence respecting the facts and all persons having knowledge of the facts whom he thinks it expedient to examine. The coroner is an independent judicial officer and it would not be appropriate for Her Majesty's Ministers to comment on the way in which a coroner carries out the duties of his office within the framework of the law in a particular case.