HC Deb 07 May 1924 vol 173 cc457-8W
Mr. BRIANT

asked the Minister of Health if he will obtain and publish statistics from the Returns of coroners' inquests showing the deaths from starvation in England and Wales during the years 1916–23; and if he can provide information as to how many, if any, were attributable to the failure of Poor Law guardians to supply such help as had been applied for?

Mr. WHEATLEY

The total below gives the number of deaths registered as due to starvation in the years mentioned, but, being derived from registration records, it contains cases where the death, though having been under review by the coroner, has not been the subject of an inquest:

England and Wales.
Starvation.
Males. Females
1916 16 15
1917 18 12
1918 12 1
1919 7 4
1920 14 2
1921 11 8
1922 8 6
1923 7 2
Total 93 50

I am not aware of any case in which the death was attributable to the failure of Poor Law guardians to supply such help as had been applied for.