His Honour Judge Peter Thornton QC has been appointed the first Chief Coroner of England and Wales by the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice. This is an entirely new role which has been set up to implement new national standards in the coroner system.
The Chief Coroner will develop a national framework within which coroners will operate, with the intention of revising the existing procedures to make the process more timely and less stressful for the bereaved families involved.
The Lord Chancellor Kenneth Clark Said.
“I am delighted that HHJ Peter Thornton QC has accepted the responsibility to become the first Chief Coroner, which is part of our commitment to reforming the coroner system.
“Everyone is agreed that the priority is to ensure coroners provide a high standard of service at what can be a difficult time for bereaved families.
“I am therefore giving the Chief Coroner the full range of powers to drive up standards, including thorough coroner training, and to tackle delays within the system."
Read the MOJ Ministerial Statement here.