Organisations that do not respond to coroners' reports requesting they take action to prevent similar deaths should be fined or face other sanctions, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has told the government.


Organisations and companies do not currently have a statutory duty to respond to coroners' reports. While the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has recommended that the Lord Chancellor should 'name and shame' those which fail to respond in a public bulletin, APIL insists only penalties will help enforcement.



Karl Tonks, a partner at national firm Fentons and APIL executive committee member, told the Gazette: 'APIL thinks there needs to be more comprehensive reform of the Coroners Rules.



'A fine would be something that most people understand. The Lord Chancellor might be able to publish the fact there's been a failure to respond but we don't think it's strong enough.'



Tonks added it was important that bereaved families knew action was being taken to prevent deaths and that loved ones had not died in vain.



In an informal consultation published in January this year, the MoJ said research commissioned in 2003 showed that around 450 coroner reports are made annually. The majority are issued to public sector organisations responsible for roads and healthcare.



Of the reports made, around half led to some sort of remedial action, but a quarter were ignored.



An MoJ spokeswoman said it was currently considering all responses to the consultation paper. The new rule should come into effect later this year.



Anita Rice