§ 56. Mr. ROBERT RICHARDSONasked the Minister of Health in what way were the Returns of death from starvation which had been made for very many years before 1919 unsatisfactory; whether they could be made satisfactory; whether, in fact, the Local Government Board up to 1919 did, on receipt of information from the coroner of a death from starvation or accelerated by privation, call upon the guardians for information; whether, during the three years 1919–21, the usual communications have been addressed to the coroners; if not, what steps, if any, the Department has taken to see whether such deaths during 1919–21 might have been prevented by more effective Poor Law administration or how future deaths of a like character might hereafter be prevented or reduced in number; and whether the Registrar-General makes any inquiry of the guardians as to the starvation deaths which he records, or whether it is any part of his duty to prevent deaths from starvation?
§ Sir A. MONDThe selection of cases for inclusion in the old Returns depended upon the terms of the verdict of the coroners' juries and on the classification of those verdicts by the several coroners. No uniform or scientific principle was 1277 followed; the Return was, in consequence, both useless and misleading. For these reasons, I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by a revival of the Return, even in an improved form. I should explain that the general inspectors of the Department are instructed to take immediate steps to investigate any suggestions, made at an inquest or otherwise, that a death has been due to some fault on the part of the Poor Law administration. This practice, which was instituted before 1919, is still in operation, and for the purpose which I assume the hon. Member has in mind is far more effective than any steps which could be taken on an annual Return. The reply to the last part of the question is in the negative.