Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that relevant information is shared with coroners investigating gambling-related deaths regarding concerns identified and action taken by the Gambling Commission during the period being investigated at inquest.

Coroners are independent judges, and the way in which they manage their investigations and inquests is a matter for them. Accordingly, it is for the coroner to determine the scope of an investigation into a death, and to identify the relevant Interested Persons and witnesses.

The statutory framework set out in the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 provides the coroner with powers to require the production of evidence for the purposes of their investigation, with sanctions for non-compliance.

Where, as the result of an investigation, a coroner considers that action should be taken to mitigate or prevent the risk of future deaths, they must provide a report to the person(s) or organisation(s) which they believe may have power to take such action. Recipients must respond within 56 days, setting out details of what action has been or will be taken, or explaining why no action is proposed. Both the coroner’s report and the responses to it must be copied to the Chief Coroner and are published on the Judiciary website.