Military inquest plans discussed

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Officials from the Scottish and UK governments have met to discuss how to speed up inquests into Scottish military personnel killed overseas.

All inquests into military deaths abroad are currently examined by an English coroner.

The regulations mean bereaved Scottish families have to travel to England to attend hearings.

A backlog of inquests has also built up because of the number of casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill asked for the meeting, held in Edinburgh, to take place.

There is currently no legal provision under Scots law to probe the deaths of Scottish personnel who die abroad.

A Scottish Government spokesman said it was determined to find a solution as quickly as possible.

We believe there is a shared desire to reduce the additional stress for bereaved families caused by them having to travel to England Scottish Government spokesman

He added that the meeting was an "important step" in dealing with what was a sensitive and complex situation.

The spokesman said: "The Scottish Government is continuing to explore with the UK Government how the investigations into the deaths of Scottish-based service personnel can be dealt with closer to home and in a way which minimises the distress for bereaved families."

He continued: "We believe there is a shared desire to reduce the additional stress for bereaved families caused by them having to travel to England to attend a coroner's inquest.

"Today's meeting will not deliver a solution but it is an important step in giving service families better and more sensitive arrangements at what will be agonising times in their lives.

"We are well aware of the sensitivities around this and are determined to find a solution to this important issue as soon as possible."

English soil

The Ministry of Defence repatriates the bodies of service personnel killed overseas to airfields in the south of England.

This means any Scottish fatalities become subject to the system of coroners' inquests as soon as their bodies arrive on English soil.

And under the Coroners Act 1988, coroners can hold inquests only within their own districts, so there is no legislative basis for coroners inquests to be held outside England.

In Scotland the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry Act 1976 requires the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to investigate deaths in Scotland only.