HC Deb 23 May 1901 vol 94 cc981-2
MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the Local Government Board scale of fees for medical men attending inquests; whether Dr. Synnott only received one guinea for attending several days at two inquiries regarding the Dodder mystery case; and whether he will cause the matter to be reconsidered.

MR. WYNDHAM

No scale of fees is prescribed by the Local Government Board in such cases. The fee of one guinea paid to Dr. Synnott for his services at the post-mortem examination is fixed by the Coroners Act of 1847, which expressly charges such fees upon local rates, and any alteration in the scale of fees could only be effected by legislation. The Government has no power to supplement these fees out of public funds.