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Larry Fedja
16th January 2009
Plans to exclude relatives, juries and the press from some inquests – on national security grounds – are being brought back by ministers.
They come in a new bill covering coroners, murder laws, witness protection and sentencing. Just months ago, similar plans were shelved. The government says secret inquests, which many oppose, would prevent intelligence details from leaking out.
The bill also proposes abolishing the provocation defence in murder cases.
Related & previous reports:
Straw plan for private inquests back on agenda
14th January 2009
Jack Straw, the justice secretary, will today revive his plan to hold inquests that involve aspects of national security in private without a jury when the coroners and justice bill is published.
Secret inquests plans ‘dropped’
14th October 2008
Plans which would have let ministers order inquests to be held in private on security grounds have been dropped from the Counter-Terrorism Bill.
The clause would have allowed ministers to remove juries, relatives and the public, from hearings.
Uproar at plan to hold inquests in secret
12th August 2008
Inquests that are deemed a risk to national security by the Government would be held in secret in future under proposed powers to come before the House of Lords this autumn.
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