§ 42. Mr. HALL-CAINEasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to a recent case where a death certificate was issued while the individual concerned was still alive; and whether, in view of the fact that it is legal at the present time for a doctor to issue a certificate without viewing the body if he has visited the person within 14 days previous to the reported death, he will consider introducing amending legislation to deal with the matter?
Sir H. YOUNGI am aware of the case referred to. The question of provision for the medical verification of the fact of death was very fully discussed during the passage of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1926, and I am not prepared in the present circumstances to introduce further legislation.