Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many instances of crowdfunding to cover the cost of legal representation for families involved in inquests have taken place in the last five years.

The Ministry of Justice is aware that there have been instances of crowdfunding to cover the cost of legal representation at inquest proceedings, for example at the inquests into the deaths of those who died in the Birmingham pub bombings and the inquests of the victims of Stephen Port, but the Department does not routinely collect information on instances of crowdfunding.

We are currently undertaking a review of the provision of legal aid for inquests, due to be published by the end of the year alongside the wider review of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.