§ MR. CUMMING MACDONA (Southwark, Rotherhithe)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Depart merit whether his attention has been drawn to the statement made by the London Association for the Prevention of Premature Burial, in The Lancet of 24th April, that in England and Wales 16,000 persons are annually buried without medical certificates of any sort; and whether the Government will take the matter into its serious consideration so as to prevent as much as possible persons being prematurely buried?
§ *SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI have not seen the statement to which the hon. Member alludes, but it is not the case that 16,000 persons are buried annually without medical certificates. The number of uncertified deaths in 1896 was 11,464; and there has been a steady decrease for many years past, both in the actual number of such deaths and in the proportion which they bear to the total number of deaths. No cases of premature burial have been brought to my notice, nor am I aware that it is a matter which falls within my jurisdiction; but in any case I am unable to see that the obtaining a certificate of death would be a guarantee against a premature burial taking place.
§ MR. MACDONAArising out of that answer, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is not aware that a number of medical men entertain the opinion that a great number of people are buried prematurely?
§ *SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYNo, Sir; I am not. Certificates of death when given are given by the medical men. Therefore it follows that, in their opinion, the persons in regard to whom the certificates are given are dead.