CORONERS AND JUSTICE BILL BRINGS OVERSEAS MILITARY INQUESTS TO SCOTLAND.
CAMPAIGNERS WELCOME CHANGE IN LAW - AMENDMENTS CHAMPIONED BY NIMROD MP.
The House of Commons will today (Monday) begin two days of debates on the
Coroners and Justice Bill, including amendments that will, for the first
time, allow inquests to be held in Scotland for service personnel killed
abroad.
Changes to the law, which will mean that families of Scottish service
personnel killed abroad will no longer have to travel to England to attend
their loved one's inquests, have been championed by SNP Westminster leader
and Defence spokesperson, Angus Robertson MP.
The amendments follow an agreement between Scottish and UK Ministers to
allow Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAI’s) into overseas military deaths to be
undertaken in Scotland.
At present all UK service personnel killed abroad are repatriated
toEngland and all inquiries are conducted by an English Coroners Inquest
necessitating significant costs and long round trips for family members.
There is currently no provision for Scottish Fatal Accident Inquiries into
overseas military deaths.
The anomalous situation was highlighted in September 2006 following the
loss of Nimrod XV230 in Afghanistan. Although ten of the fourteen service
personnel killed aboard the aircraft were based in RAF Kinloss in Moray,
which Mr Robertson represents, the inquest into the fatal crash took place
in Oxfordshire.
Speaking in advance of the Bill’s final reading, Mr Robertson said:
“This issue is about family members who deserve the best support and
assistance after the deaths of a loved one. It was simply unacceptable
that Service families in Scotland had to travel so far and at great cost
to inquiries in the south of
England.
”Our aim was always to minimise the distress caused to bereaved families
of service personnel killed overseas in service.
“There has been a desperate need for the coroners service to be more
responsive, and securing these changes which will allow inquests to be
held in Scotland will bring a real improvement for bereaved families,
witnesses and the wider public.
“As someone who has been battling for these common sense changes, I know
just how much work has gone on behind the scenes to bring all the elements
to together, and I am delighted that the Scottish Government and UK
Ministers have worked to secure a way forward that will allow inquiries in
Scotland."
Shona Beattie, whose husband Flight Sergeant Stephen Beattie died aboard
Nimrod XV230 said:
“It is really good news that the Scottish Government has made substantial
progress with the UK Ministry of Defence and these changes will become
law.
“For decades Service families in Scotland have been overlooked but this is
changing. It is now time for the Scots legal system to play its role
investigating overseas military deaths.
“I am appreciative of the efforts made by Angus Robertson MP and Scottish
Ministers who pushed for these changes. They will make a real difference
to Service families in Scotland.”
CAMPAIGNERS WELCOME CHANGE IN LAW - AMENDMENTS CHAMPIONED BY NIMROD MP.
The House of Commons will today (Monday) begin two days of debates on the
Coroners and Justice Bill, including amendments that will, for the first
time, allow inquests to be held in Scotland for service personnel killed
abroad.
Changes to the law, which will mean that families of Scottish service
personnel killed abroad will no longer have to travel to England to attend
their loved one's inquests, have been championed by SNP Westminster leader
and Defence spokesperson, Angus Robertson MP.
The amendments follow an agreement between Scottish and UK Ministers to
allow Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAI’s) into overseas military deaths to be
undertaken in Scotland.
At present all UK service personnel killed abroad are repatriated
toEngland and all inquiries are conducted by an English Coroners Inquest
necessitating significant costs and long round trips for family members.
There is currently no provision for Scottish Fatal Accident Inquiries into
overseas military deaths.
The anomalous situation was highlighted in September 2006 following the
loss of Nimrod XV230 in Afghanistan. Although ten of the fourteen service
personnel killed aboard the aircraft were based in RAF Kinloss in Moray,
which Mr Robertson represents, the inquest into the fatal crash took place
in Oxfordshire.
Speaking in advance of the Bill’s final reading, Mr Robertson said:
“This issue is about family members who deserve the best support and
assistance after the deaths of a loved one. It was simply unacceptable
that Service families in Scotland had to travel so far and at great cost
to inquiries in the south of
England.
”Our aim was always to minimise the distress caused to bereaved families
of service personnel killed overseas in service.
“There has been a desperate need for the coroners service to be more
responsive, and securing these changes which will allow inquests to be
held in Scotland will bring a real improvement for bereaved families,
witnesses and the wider public.
“As someone who has been battling for these common sense changes, I know
just how much work has gone on behind the scenes to bring all the elements
to together, and I am delighted that the Scottish Government and UK
Ministers have worked to secure a way forward that will allow inquiries in
Scotland."
Shona Beattie, whose husband Flight Sergeant Stephen Beattie died aboard
Nimrod XV230 said:
“It is really good news that the Scottish Government has made substantial
progress with the UK Ministry of Defence and these changes will become
law.
“For decades Service families in Scotland have been overlooked but this is
changing. It is now time for the Scots legal system to play its role
investigating overseas military deaths.
“I am appreciative of the efforts made by Angus Robertson MP and Scottish
Ministers who pushed for these changes. They will make a real difference
to Service families in Scotland.”
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