§ 24. Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average length of time required to produce a coroner's report in Northern Ireland in each of the last two years. [141779]
§ Mr. IngramMatters related to coroners are the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor, and it is the decision of coroners as to whether or not autopsies are conducted. Having decided that an autopsy is necessary a coroner will normally request the State Pathologist's Department to conduct it. It is not possible to provide the average lengths of time taken to provide coroners with such reports without a considerable diversion of resources. Each case is unique and may involve obtaining toxicological analyses and other inputs from elsewhere.