HC Deb 20 July 1959 vol 609 cc859-60
16. Mrs. White

asked the Minister of Health in what circumstances the widow of a patient who died in Chester Royal Infirmary, of whom particulars have been sent to him, was permitted to see her husband's body following a postmortem examination before it had been properly laid out.

Mr. R. Thompson

I am making full inquiries and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mrs. White

While thanking the Parliamentary Secretary for making inquiries, may I ask him whether he would not agree that the shock and distress inflicted on any woman seeing her husband's body in such circumstances is acute? Will he, therefore, take steps to ensure that authorities in charge of mortuaries tighten up their administration so that incidents of this kind do not occur?

Mr. Thompson

I quite appreciate the hon. Lady's anxiety in this matter, but I think that I must await the reply from the hospital authority concerned, when I will certainly look into the whole matter, with particular reference to the point of view which she has expressed.