asked the Minister of Health what inquiries, if any, were made as to the starvation cases of tramps and homeless men in Berkshire, when it appeared that they were about five times as many in proportion to population as those in the rest of the provinces; and what inquiries were made by his officers as to the death of Richard Gillam, from inanition and exposure, near Holmbury last May, and as to William Johnson near Romford last April?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN:

If the hon. Member will refer to one of the old returns he will see the nature of the inquiries made for the purposes of those returns. Inquiries are made in any cases in which there is any suggestion that a defect in the Poor Law administration may have contributed to a death of this kind. I have not had time to obtain from my inspector a report on the two cases which are mentioned in the question, but I am inquiring and will communicate with the hon. Member.