44.—(1) A coroner may—

(a) when he or she has held an inquest on a body, but, subject to paragraph (b), in no other circumstances, if he or she thinks fit, by order authorise—

(i) a relative of the deceased person, or any other person, who proposes to cause the body to be disposed of, or

(ii) the undertaker, or any other person, who is in charge of the funeral of the deceased person,

to dispose of the body before the registration of the death, and

(b) authorise the disposal of a body, whether it is lying for the time being in or outside his or her district, irrespective of whether he or she has decided that it is, or will become, necessary to hold an inquest on it.

(2) In subsection (1), “disposal”, in relation to a body, means disposal by burial, cremation or any other means and cognate words shall be construed accordingly.