§ MR. T. P. O'CONNOR (Liverpool, Scotland)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the deaths from poisoning of women and children from consuming phosphorus taken from match heads, he will state whether any record of these cases is kept; and, if so, how many deaths have occurred during the year 1907 from this cause.
§ MR. GLADSTONEThe deaths returned by coroners' juries as resulting from poisoning by phosphorus from matches are shown in the Registrar-General's Annual Reports. The figures for 1907 have not yet been ascertained. The Registrar-General informs me that in 1906 six deaths were attributed to poisoning from phosphorus matches, five of the victims being children under three years of age, and one a girl of twelve years.
§ MR. BYLES (Salford, N.)asked if any record was kept of the proceedings at the inquiries?