Editing Inquests in England and Wales (section)

==Scope of inquest==
The purpose of the inquest is to answer four questions:<ref>''Halsbury'' vol.9(2) '''988'''</ref><ref name="jamieson">''R v. HM Coroner for North Humberside and Scunthorpe, ex parte Jamieson'' [1995] QB 1 at 23, CA</ref><ref name=rules1984/>{{rp|r. 36}}
*Identity of the deceased
*Place of death
*Time of death
*How the deceased came by their death

[[Evidence (law)|Evidence]] must be solely for the purpose of answering these questions and no other evidence is admitted.<ref name="jamieson"/> It is not for the inquest to ascertain "how the deceased died" or "in what broad circumstances", but "how the deceased came by his death", a more limited question.<ref name="jamieson"/> Moreover, it is not the purpose of the inquest to determine, or appear to determine, [[criminal law|criminal]] or [[civil liability]], to apportion [[culpability|guilt]] or attribute blame.<ref name=rules1984/>{{rp|r. 42}} For example, where a prisoner [[hanging|hanged]] himself in a cell, he came by his death by hanging and it was not the role of the inquest to enquire into the broader circumstances such as the alleged [[neglect (English law)|neglect]] of the prison authorities that might have contributed to his state of mind or given him the opportunity.<ref name="jamieson"/> However, the inquest should set out as many of the facts as the public interest requires.<ref>''[http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2003/1739.html R (on the application of Davies) v. Birmingham Deputy Coroner]'' [2003] EWCA (Civ) 1739, [2003] All ER (D) 40 (Dec)</ref>

Under the terms of article 2 of the [[European Convention of Human Rights]], governments are required to "establish a framework of laws, precautions, procedures and means of enforcement which will, to the greatest extent reasonably practicable, protect life". The [[European Court of Human Rights]] has interpreted this as mandating independent official investigation of any death where [[public servant]]s may be implicated. Since the [[Human Rights Act 1998]] came into force, in those cases alone, the inquest is now to consider the broader question "by what means and in what circumstances".<ref>''[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200304/ldjudgmt/jd040311/midd-1.htm R (on the application of Middleton) v. West Somerset Coroner]'' [2004] UKHL 10, [2004] 2 AC 182, [2004] 2 All ER 465</ref>

In disasters, such as the 1987 [[King's Cross fire]], a single inquest may be held into several deaths. Some inquests, such as the [[John Lawler inquest]], result in a [[prevention of future deaths report]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 26, 2022 |title=John Lawler: Prevention of Future Deaths Report |url=https://www.judiciary.uk/prevention-of-future-death-reports/john-lawler-prevention-of-future-deaths-report/ |website=[[Judiciary of England and Wales]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 19, 2019 |title=Chiropractors Urged to Take X-rays First to Prevent Deaths |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2315371046 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |page=9|id={{ProQuest|2315371046}} }}</ref>