BEREAVEMENT DAMAGES CAP

That this House recognises the current disparity in bereavement compensation in England and Wales in comparison to Northern Ireland and Scotland; notes that the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 allows payment of only a fixed sum for bereavement damages of £12,980 which can be claimed by only the spouse or civil partner of the deceased and the parents of unmarried children under the age of 18; and calls on the Government to amend the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 to provide a new, fairer way of providing damages to bereaved families in England and Wales, echoing the approach taken in Scotland since the mid-1970s.