§ MR. YOXALL (Nottinghamshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what manner medical evidence as to the sanity or insanity of a convict is taken by the Crown; is there a printed form of questions to be answered; and, if so, will he lay a copy of the form upon the Table of the House; whether the medical opinion sought is confined to inquiry as to the state of mind and responsibility of the convict at the date of the criminal act; and whether a statement of the ascertained family history of a convict suspected of inherited insanity is included in the evidence on which medical opinion is required.
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolThe discretion of the medical men, whose opinion is obtained by me from time to time with regard to the mental condition of convicts is not restricted in any way by a form of questions. In the case of inquiry into the mental condition of a convict under sentence of death I proceed in accordance with Section 2 of the Criminal Lunatics Act of 1884, which says that the doctors when appointed "shall forthwith examine such prisoner and inquire as to his insanity," and shall then report in writing to me. It is obvious that any medical man in forming an opinion on a question of this kind must take into consideration a convict's family history, and all available evidence on this point is always placed before the medical men charged with the inquiry. They are expected to report on all the aspects of the case, including the past mental history of the convict as well as his state of mind when the crime was committed and at the trial.