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It is true that faiths other than Islam and Judaism don't lay the same stress on the importance of a speedy funeral; but that does not justify delaying the coroner's attention to their loved ones. I have just returned from the funeral of a lady who died on 28th December - over six weeks ago. Sadly, in SE London, this sort of delay seems to be normal, as there is so much pressure on our local crematoria. Delay of any kind adds to the distress of bereavement; but it added significantly to the distress of this family that the coroner had to be involved - as they could not even fix the funeral date until coronial clearance was given. If that had been delayed, because others had been given priority on religious grounds, that would have made matters worse still. Let the "cab-rank" rule stand; and, if shortage of resources causes unacceptable delays, then maybe families should JR those who take the funding decisions.