§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Paul Goggins)Today I am publishing and placing in the Library a paper setting out the Government's position on the arrangements we propose to introduce to replace our existing systems for the certification and investigation of deaths in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.
In June last year we published the report of the independent Fundamental Review of the Coroner Services. In July, the Third Report of the Shipman Inquiry was published following the conclusion of Phase Two of Stage Two of the Inquiry's investigation of our death certification and investigation arrangements. This discharged the Inquiry's remit to enquire into relevant issues concerning the registration of deaths, cremation certification and the coroner system as a result of the murders perpetrated by Harold Shipman.
Both reports identified similar problems with our existing arrangements. They recommended similar, but not identical solutions. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary invited Tom Luce, the chairman of the Fundamental Review, to advise him on the links between the two reports. We have now received that advice and have considered the reports further. I would like to take this opportunity of saying how very grateful the Government are to both Tom Luce and Dame Janet Smith for all the help they and their teams have given the Government as we take forward change in this important and complex area.
We intend to sweep away the existing procedures and structures. We must have a coherent system with oversight of all deaths based around full-time judicial coroners with appropriate medical expertise in close support. We must be able to ensure that families can find out how their relatives died, and that avoidable deaths can be prevented in future. Our public health strategies need to be informed by robust mortality data. Our paper now maps out the broad procedures and structures we would wish to see in place to achieve this in the future. The proposals I am publishing today take account of the requirements across all Government Departments.
The paper does not, and cannot, provide a detailed blueprint for the reformed service. It offers an outline of our proposals, which will need to be firmed up in the course of discussions with practitioners and other stakeholders. Once we have this more detailed information on practicalities and costs, and can be satisfied both on effectiveness and affordability, we propose to come forward, later this year, with a detailed White Paper and draft legislation.
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