§ MR. EUGENE WASON (Clackmannan and Kinross)I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the law is constantly being violated in Scotland, in the registration of the deaths of paupers in workhouses, by persons signing a certificate that they were present at the death, when, as a matter of fact, they have been elsewhere; and whether he will be prepared to take such steps as will secure that the law be complied with, and that the penalty which attaches to a person signing a certificate under such circumstances is enforced.
* MR. A. GRAHAM MURRAYI am not prepared to accept the accuracy of the general statement as to the violation of the law made in the first paragraph of the hon. Member's question. On the contrary, I am informed by the Registrar General for Scotland that he has no knowledge of any circumstances giving rise to the question, and that instructions are prefixed to every registration book for the guidance of registrars, from which and from the list of questions which must be answered by the informant of a death, it will be seen that it is the practice to require the informant in each case to state whether he was present at the death.
§ MR. EUGENE WASONIf I supply the right hon. Gentleman with the information I have, will he inquire?