Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of using computerised tomography for post-mortems; and what guidance his Department has issued to coroners on the use of that technology.

The Ministry of Justice has not assessed the use of computerised tomography for post-mortem examinations because this is a matter for individual coroners who decide how to proceed in light of guidance from the Chief Coroner. The guidance can be found on his website at: https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/guidance-no-1-use-of-port-mortem-imaging.pdf

The guidance says that a coroner should consider, with the assistance of a pathologist and, where appropriate, a radiologist, whether this method is the most appropriate in any particular case, bearing in mind the wishes of the bereaved family and, if known, of the deceased.