Wilkinson Kate: Coroners Bill — In Committee 
Wilkinson Kate: Coroners Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:633;Page:4607] 
KATE WILKINSON (National) 
: 
 Thank you Mr Chairman for allowing me to take this call on Part 2 of the Coroners Bill. The issue of death is a particularly sensitive one and it is important that violent and sudden deaths especially are dealt with not only with due sensitivity but also with absolute professionalism and timeliness. This bill is designed to reform our coronial system recognising the rights and interests of families but also putting some emphasis on cultural and spiritual sensitivity. 
Coroners deal with often sad and tragic deaths. When someone dies of a violent sudden or uncertain death there should be a proper inquiry and the bereaved friends family and relatives need to know what happened and why it happened. Part 2 deals with the reporting of deaths the custody and removal of bodies the interests of families post-mortems and the return or retention of bodies or parts thereof. Death is not an easy subject. It is an emotional time for families and friends and it is important that the situation is dealt with properly and professionally yet with sensitivity and certainly timeliness. This bill is not just about dealing with bodies; it is about dealing with bereaved family and friends. 
Clause 11 provides for the reporting of deaths—not all deaths but those that appear to have been without known cause suicide or unnatural or violent. It covers to name some of the instances death that occurred whilst a person was undergoing a medical surgical dental or similar operation; death during childbirth; death of a patient detained in an institution for alcoholism drug addiction or mental health reasons or under the Intellectual Disability (Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation) Act or Corrections Act; and death in the custody of the police. 
 It is interesting if we go back in history to compare those with some of the original examples of death covered by coroners. One of the old editions of Halsbury’s  
Laws of England 
 if members will permit me to digress a little covered deaths in prisons—not unlike what occurs today—and deaths of persons of unsound mind. In the case of a death of a patient of unsound mind: “Notice thereof together with a statement relating thereto must before the expiration of the second day after the day of the death be sent by the person in charge to the coroner of the district.” Today we still have persons of unsound mind. The old Halsbury’s  
Laws of England 
 refers to “infants taken into care”. Again this is quite interesting. I do like to go back in history because I think history is really important. The book states: “If any person undertakes for reward the nursing and maintenance of an infant under the age of 9 years apart from its parents or having no parents such person in case of the death of any such infant must within 24 hours of such death give notice in writing thereof to the coroner of the district within which the body of such infant lies”— 
Simon Power 
: What does that mean? 
KATE WILKINSON 
: —I have no idea—“and the coroner must hold an inquest thereon unless a certificate under the hand of a duly qualified medical practitioner is produced to him certifying that such medical practitioner has personally attended such infant during its last illness and specifying the cause of death and the coroner is satisfied that there is no ground for holding an inquest.” It does not matter what it means. The interesting thing is: “If the person having the care of such infant neglects to give such notice such person is on summary conviction liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding £25.” 
Simon Power 
: That clears that up. 
KATE WILKINSON 
: Yes. One of the other types of death that the coroners legislation covered under Halsbury’s  
Laws of England 
 was that of drowned persons. 
Hon Member 
: Tell us about that. 
KATE WILKINSON 
: OK I will: “If a dead human body be found in or cast on shore from the sea or any tidal or navigable waters or is found floating or sunken in any such waters and brought to the shore or bank thereof the person finding the same must within 6 hours thereafter give notice to a police constable acting within the parish in which such body is found under a penalty of £5.”