§ VISCOUNT LYMINGTONasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether, in regard to the fact that the new system of insurance and annuity under the Government Annuities and Assurance Bill, 1882, cannot be introduced until the new tables of rates have been prepared by the National Debt Commissioners, 1966 he can inform the House when these Tables will be ready?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, the Actuary of the National Debt Office has just made a valuable Report upon the mortality of Government life annuitants up to the latest possible date. The new annuity and assurance tables depend upon the figures of this Report, and on the probable future cost of management, as to which the Post Office has not yet satisfied the Treasury. There will be no avoidable delay in laying the tables before Parliament as directed by the Act; but no doubt my noble Friend will agree with me in deprecating precipitancy in a matter which is, to a large degree, experimental, and which may involve very serious liabilities to the State.