§ MR. HODGKINSONsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Under what circumstances and why the Order made on the 13th of February for printing the Tables which were on the 10th of February laid upon the table of the House, with reference to the Government Life Annuity and Life Assurance Bill of last Session, was subsequently discharged; and whether, notwithstanding the discharge of such Order, it is intended that such Tables shall be acted upon at the expiration of thirty days from the 10th 500 of February, pursuant to the 6th section of the Act; and when the regulations to be made pursuant to the 16th section of the Act will be laid upon the table of the House, as directed by that section?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER,in reply, said, he had no direct knowledge of the circumstances under which the Order made on the 13th of February for printing the Tables laid on the table of the House on the 10th of February, with reference to the Government Life Annuity and Life Assurance Act of last Session, was discharged; but upon inquiry he learnt that it was discharged at the request of the Printing Committee, and for a very obvious reason. As soon as the Tables reached the Government, the Government ordered them to be put in type, and the printing was almost finished. He believed the Tables would be circulated to-morrow morning. The Government had been very anxious to expedite the printing of the Tables; but as they referred to sums of money which persons would have to pay in return for a certain benefit, it was necessary to be extremely accurate, and that had caused the printing to occupy a much longer time than he could have wished. He apprehended it was fixed by law that the Tables would take effect in thirty days after the time when they were laid on the table of the House. The general regulations of assurance and annuity business were directed to be laid on the table of the House; but the time of the commencement of the operation of the Act was not dependent upon the time when those regulations were presented. When those regulations were all made complete, and nothing but a few verbal matters remained to be considered, they would be laid on the table.