Harman defends inquests changes

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Constitutional affairs minister Harriet Harman has defended plans to change the venue of inquests into deaths of UK troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Bodies will now be returned to RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire, instead of Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

From 1 April, hearings will be held in Wiltshire or the deceased's home town.

Critics say that will take cases away from the UK's "centre of excellence". But Ms Harman said there had been an "unacceptable delay" in Oxfordshire.

Resources review

I'm looking at these issues on a weekly basis to make sure that these delays don't build up Harriet Harman

Coroner Andrew Walker and two colleagues were brought into Oxfordshire in May 2006 to clear a backlog of 85 cases of dead service personnel awaiting hearings.

Ms Harman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she wanted to avoid a repeat of these delays under the new arrangements.

She said: "I'm looking at these issues on a weekly basis to make sure that these delays don't build up.

"We will make sure that for those remaining to be heard in Oxfordshire - but also the inquests to be heard in Wiltshire or other areas - that they will be heard promptly."

The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) had previously said no new resources had been allocated to Wiltshire, but added that this was under review.

Ms Harman continued: "The fatalities haven't started going to Wiltshire yet.

"Currently, the Oxfordshire coroner is dealing with the current fatalities and he's got two additional supporting coroners to help him make sure he gets through those quickly."

Backlog criticism

Wiltshire's coroner will now hold hearings into multiple deaths, and single deaths may be heard at the coroner's court closest to the deceased person's home or final resting place.

In each case, the Wiltshire coroner will decide how to proceed.

Geraldine McCool, the solicitor who represented the family of Lance Corporal of Horse Matty Hull - killed near Basra in March 2003 when a US pilot fired on his tank convoy - has criticised the decision to shift the inquests from the "centre of excellence" at Oxfordshire.

Last month, Adam Ingram, the armed forces minister, admitted the government should have acted sooner to clear the backlog of cases.

In January figures, it was revealed that inquests still had to be held into more than a third of those killed in the Iraq conflict and into 38 deaths in Afghanistan.