§ Dame Joan Vickersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to provide that burial rant shall be given to those parents whose children are born dead; how many children have been so born in 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1973; and what would be the average total cost of this grant.
§ Mr. DeanIn England and Wales the number of stillbirths recorded for 1969 was 10,654; for 1970, 10,345; for 1971, 9,899; for 1972 (provisionally) 8,799; and for 1973 (provisionally) 6,487 up to 19th October. Figures obtained in 1969 show that the cost of a funeral for a still-born child was then about £4; and, on that basis, the cost of providing a grant would be about £40,000 a year for England and Wales. Successive Governments have, however, taken the view that it would not be appropriate for the national insurance scheme to cover this particular eventuality; and I have no proposals for a change in that policy.