SUICIDE AND THE CRIMINAL STANDARD OF PROOF

That this House notes that, despite the decriminalisation of suicide in 1961, the criminal standard of proof of beyond all reasonable doubt continues to be applied in reaching a conclusion of suicide in coroners' courts; recognises that this contributes to the stigma around suicide, which prevents many young people from seeking help and support; further recognises that the criminal standard of proof obscures the true scale of suicide in England and Wales and prevents the collection of accurate national statistics; expresses support for the campaign led by the national charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young suicide, founded and governed by parents and families who have been touched personally by suicide in young people, to change the burden of proof required by law to that of the Civil Standard, on the balance of probabilities, for reaching a conclusion of suicide; further notes the support this campaign has received from the first Chief Coroner, the National Suicide Prevention Alliance, and many of the suicide prevention and mental health charities across the UK; and calls on the Ministry of Justice to bring forward proposals for a change in the law so that the Civil Standard rather than the criminal standard of proof is applied in determining a suicide cause of death.