Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Damages (Scotland) Act 2011 in compensating bereaved relatives in Scotland.

Any review of the system of bereavement damages in England and Wales would have regard to the legislative approach adopted in Scotland and other jurisdictions, but there are no current plans to undertake a review.

The Government’s position remains that it believes the existing legal framework, involving a fixed level of award and clear eligibility criteria, represents a reasonable, proportionate and practical approach.