Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Sarah Sackman and Darren Paffey

Tuesday 11th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Darren Paffey (Southampton Itchen) (Lab)]

T6. A constituent of mine, aged just 21, tragically died after accessing pro-suicide online forums that not only encouraged self-harm, but advertised how to get lethal drugs and how to exploit loopholes that allowed this. The substance used in her death can still be bought on Amazon today. What steps will the Minister take to close those loopholes for those who enable criminality and ensure that the law is actively keeping our young people safe?

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Sarah Sackman)]

I am sorry to hear about that tragic case in my hon. Friend’s constituency. Encouraging or assisting suicide is an offence under the Suicide Act 1961, and sending communications that encourage or assist serious self-harm is an offence under the Online Safety Act 2023, but we are going to tighten up the law to address the situation that my hon. Friend has described. Of course, this is about not just the law, but the enforcement of the law as well.