§ Commander Locker-Lampsonasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the abuse arising from the ease with which birth certificates can be got; what steps he proposes to take to prevent this; and whether he will arrange that only the date of birth and nothing else will be required by the Army, Navy and Air Force.
§ Mr. WillinkThe document usually termed a birth certificate is a certified copy of an entry in a birth register. It is necessarily made available by statute to all who require it as evidence of the contents of that entry only; and its possession affords no evidence whatever that the person producing it is the person to whose birth it relates. I am not aware that this system gives rise to abuse, but if my hon. and gallant Friend will send me particulars of any cases he has in mind I shall be glad to look into them.