§ 36. Mr. J. Hyndasked the Secretary of State for War what steps he has taken to ascertain the number of cases where headstones supplied by the War Graves Commission have been left lying in cemeteries throughout the country for periods up to 15 months or more without being erected; and in how many such cases the inscribed stones have had to be returned to the Commission because relatives have lost patience and provided their own headstones for the graves.
§ Mr. HeadI have ascertained from the Commission that it is very rare for a headstone to be left unerected for so long as 15 months and I do not feel justified in suggesting a special inquiry to determine actual numbers. The particular case about which the hon. Member has written to me arose out of a special difficulty and steps have been taken to prevent a recurrence.