§ 36. Mr. Hopkinasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that post mortem examinations are made upon cases in which men have already been certified as suffering from silicosis; whether he is aware of the profound resentment at such a procedure by relatives of the deceased and his fellow-workmen; and whether he will take steps to put an end to this useless post mortem examination?
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Sir Samuel Hoare)I appreciate the considerations to which the hon. Member refers, but the difficulty is that men suffering from silicosis frequently die from other causes, and I am advised that in many such cases it is not possible without a post mortem examination to determine the cause of death.