HL Deb 23 October 1967 vol 285 cc1343-4

3.0 p.m.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To aks Her Majesty's Government whether consideration will be given to altering the present practice under English law to the practice under Scottish law, so as to avoid the unhappy glare of publicity following cases of suicide.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD STONHAM)

My Lords, the whole of the law relating to coroners and coroners' courts comes within the terms of reference of a Committee under the chairmanship of His Honour Judge Brodrick which was set up in 1965 by my noble friend Lord Stow Hill, who was then Home Secretary. I understand that the possibility of dispensing with inquests in some cases of suicide is one of the matters to which the Committee is giving attention.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, may I thank the noble Lord for his reply and ask him whether he can give an indication of the number of suicides in England and Wales, which seem to be increasing year by year.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, I cannot give any figures of the relative increase or decrease or of how the movement has been in recent years. In 1964, the total number of inquests was 26,988. In that year, coroners in England and Wales returned 5,565 suicide verdicts. In addition, they returned 1,502 open verdicts, a few of which may have related to suicide.