To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the recommended time is within which a family should be sent a copy of a post-mortem report; and in how many cases such reports were written and sent (a) within the recommended time and (b) after the recommended time in the most recent period for which figures are available. (79829)

There is no recommended time within which a family should be sent a copy of a coroner’s post-mortem report, although good practice recommends that a copy should be sent on request to the immediate next of kin in advance of the inquest. There are accordingly no central records kept relating to the post-mortem reports sent by coroners.