§ MR. HOWELLI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state to the House the total number of Friendly Societies in the United Kingdom, the number registered and the estimated number unregistered, the total number of members, the aggregate amount of the funds, and the estimated amount expended in benefits in the year 329 1888, and the total income and total expenditure for that year?
§ SIR H. MAXWELLAs regards registered Friendly Societies, I am informed by the Chief Registrar, with whom I have been in communication, that it would be impossible without very great labour and expense to supply particulars for 1888 as to the total number of members, the aggregate amount of the funds, and the estimated amount expended in benefits. The Registrar has no means of ascertaining or estimating the number of unregistered Societies, still less any other figures respecting them.
§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to give notice that I will call attention to this question on the Estimates.