Section 4 — Coroners' investigations into still-births

(1) The Secretary of State must make arrangements for the preparation of a report on whether, and if so how, the law ought to be changed to enable or require coroners to investigate still-births.

(2) For the purposes of this section, “still-births” is to be read in accordance with section 41 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953.

(3) The Secretary of State must publish the report prepared under this section.

(4) After the report has been published, the Lord Chancellor may by regulations amend Part 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (coroners etc) to—

(a) enable or require coroners to conduct investigations into still-births (whether by treating still-births as deaths or otherwise);

(b) specify the circumstances in which those investigations are to take place (including by limiting the duty or power to investigate to certain descriptions of still-birth);

(c) provide for the purposes of those investigations;

(d) make provision equivalent or similar to provision in that Part relating to investigations into deaths.

(5) The regulations may not—

(a) create any offence, or

(b) confer any power to make provision of a legislative character,

other than by applying (with necessary modifications), or making equivalent or similar provision to, provision already contained in Part 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

(6) No regulations may be made under this section after the period of five years beginning with the day on which the report is published under subsection (3).