Inquests following deaths at work may become jury-free

Proposals to reform the coroners' service, especially in the area of work-related deaths, have provoked anger among unions and safety campaigners.

The Department of Constitutional Affairs consultation document on the Coroners Service Reform Bill proposes the removal of the automatic right to a jury inquest for bereaved families following a death at work.

"The Bill's proposal to scrap the automatic right to a jury provoked a storm of protest in 2002 when it was last considered, and it is surprising that the warnings from four years ago have not been heeded," said Dave Joyce, head of safety at the CWU communication workers union. "The proposal is seen as an assault on civil liberties and a removal of a human right of bereaved people as well as the removal of a basic protection for fairness."

The Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) also has serious concerns about aspects of the draft bill, including:

* the removal of juries from most inquests, including for work-related deaths;

* the continued narrow purpose of inquests, preventing coroners and juries from commenting upon the circumstances surrounding a death; and

* the bill's failure to address the long delays in holding inquests, caused by large backlogs in some coroner's areas.

Maggie Robbins, the CCA's UK director, said: "There is a terrible irony in the draft bill; just at the moment when the coroners' service will be subject to important reforms and improvements that have been demanded for years, families bereaved by work-related deaths will not be able to experience these benefits."