49. Colonel BURNasked the Home Secretary whether there is any power to correct a register in which the cause of a woman's death is given by a coroner's court as due to hæmorrhage from a wound in the throat, murder, her husband being committed for trial on a charge of wilful murder by the local magistrate but acquitted at the Assizes, in view of the injury to an individual who has been proved innocent by the verdict of a jury?
§ The MINISTER of HEALTH (Sir A. Mond)Under Section 36 (4) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1874, an error of fact or substance (other than an error relating to the cause of death) in the information given by the coroner's certificate concerning a dead body upon which an inquest has been held, may be corrected by the registrar on receipt of a certificate from the coroner that such error exists.
Colonel BURNHas not the time arrived for the Government to take some steps to define accurately what the duties of a coroner's court are, especially where a criminal charge is likely to be made and the finding in his court may possibly come into conflict with the administration of the law in His Majesty's courts?
§ Sir A. MONDIf the hon. and gallant Member will inform me what duties he refers to, I will consider the matter.
Mr. J. JONESWhy is this question, which was put down to the Home Secretary, answered by the Minister of Health?
§ Sir A. MONDBecause this matter is in the purview of the Ministry of Health.