The original draft Coroners Bill published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs on 12th June 2006 had no direct relevance to employment law.

A Bill renamed the Coroners and Justice Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 14th January 2009, moved to the House of Lords on 25th March 2009 and had its third reading there on 5th November 2009 (see Hansard HL col 380 on 5.11.2009, Coroners and Justice Bill, 3rd reading).

The heading to the Act states that its purpose is "to amend the law relating to coroners, to investigation of deaths and to certification and registration of deaths; to amend the criminal law; to make provision about criminal justice and about dealing with offenders; to make provision about the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses; to make provision relating to the security of court and other buildings; to make provision about legal aid and about payments for legal services provided in connection with employment matters; to make provision for payments to be made by offenders in respect of benefits derived from the exploitation of material pertaining to offences; to amend the Data Protection Act 1998; and for connected purposes".

The Act is worth noting in this employment law program for two reasons:

1. because of new powers it gives Coroners to "ensure better investigations and inquests". These powere enable Coroners to investigate workplace deaths more comprehensively than previously;
   
2. because it provides for damages based fee agreements entered into on or after 8th April 2010 to be unenforceable in employment matters unless they comply with conditions.