My honourable friend the Minister of State, Department of Health (Ben Bradshaw) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Government have today published a summary of responses to the consultation paper setting out proposals for improving the process of death certification in England and Wales. The proposals are intended to address the weaknesses in the current system for certifying death which were identified by the Shipman inquiry.

The vast majority of respondents supported the proposed introduction of a process of secondary certification of all deaths that are not referred to the coroner, and for this scrutiny to be undertaken by appropriately qualified medical examiners. The department is now working with stakeholders to take forward these proposals.

The proposed improvements to the process of death certification complement the Government’s proposals for introducing a statutory duty for medical practitioners to report deaths to the coroner. A summary of responses to the public consultation on these proposals is being published today by the Ministry of Justice.

The summary of responses to the proposals for improving the process of death certification in England and Wales has been placed in the Library and copies are available to honourable Members from the Vote Office.