A committee of MPs has urged the government to drop plans to allow the home secretary to force an inquest to be held without a jury.

The proposals in the Counter-Terrorism Bill would allow the Home Office to appoint its own coroner in cases involving sensitive evidence, such as phone tap material.

But the Commons justice committee said the move should be withdrawn to allow time for detailed scrutiny.

Chairman Alan Beith said: "The proposals in the Terrorism Bill put the choice of coroner and the possibility of excluding a jury quite wrongly in the government's hands.

"The actions of government bodies are regularly questioned at inquests and ministers should not be in a position to choose the coroner who will hear the case or whether a jury will be present.

"These proposals illustrate the serious dangers of piecemeal proposals to the coroners system, which it is widely agreed needs serious reform."

The committee's report, published on Thursday, said members were concerned the change could lead to ministers choosing a coroner or excluding a jury in cases involving state authorities such as hospitals, the armed forces, police or prisons.