Coroners and Justice Bill

Hansard will show something different. The hon. and learned Gentleman also said that, when necessary, he preferred the Inquiries Act route, whereby the Secretary of State determines whether to dispense with a jury, to the Bill. I believe that the proposal whereby any decision by a Secretary of State has to be tested before and by a judge is much less likely than his to end in juries being dispensed with. I am glad to say that on that, if on few other issues, I have the full backing of the right hon. and learned Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Mr. Hogg), who made it clear that the process that we are putting in place is correct.