Overview

This bill mandates that coroners in England and Wales, when ruling a death a suicide, must record their opinion on the contributing factors. This information will be collected and published anonymously by the Office for National Statistics to help understand suicide trends, while protecting the identities of the deceased.

Description

The Coroners (Determination of Suicide) Bill amends the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and the Coroners (Inquests) Rules 2013. Key changes include:

• Mandatory Recording of Factors: Coroners must record their opinion on factors contributing to a suicide, including the option to state "no discernible factor".
• Guidance from the Secretary of State: The Secretary of State will provide guidance on the factors to consider and the format for recording opinions.
• Annual Publication of Data: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will annually publish anonymized data on the recorded factors, beginning one year after the bill's passage.
• Confidentiality and Inadmissibility: The identity of the deceased will remain protected, and the recorded opinions will not be admissible in court.
• Geographic Scope: The bill applies only to England and Wales.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify additional government spending. However, there will be costs associated with the Secretary of State issuing guidance, and the ONS's compilation and publication of the anonymized data. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Coroners: Will have additional responsibilities in recording factors related to suicide deaths.
• The Office for National Statistics (ONS): Will be responsible for collecting, anonymizing, and publishing the data.
• Researchers and Public Health Officials: Will benefit from access to anonymized data to inform suicide prevention strategies.
• Families of Suicide Victims: May find the collection of this data helpful or upsetting, depending on their perspective.

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