HC Deb 18 June 1891 vol 354 cc802-3

Lords Amendments considered.

(4.43.) MR. HOWELL (Bethnal Green, N.E.)

In respect of the Amendment to line 36, page 6, I must say I think the Chancellor of the Exchequer has scarcely fulfilled the expectations he held out to us as to what would be done in another place in regard to this clause. The right hon. Gentleman seems desperately afraid that the working classes of England will have banking accounts of their own, and that they are going to use the Trustee and the Post Office Savings Banks for that purpose. All I can say is, that I should be very glad indeed if the great mass of the working classes could afford to have banking accounts in that way. Of what use the Amendment will be I am at a loss to conceive. It will be by no means an aid to thrift, but an obstacle in the way of it. I am sorry the right hon. Gentleman did not see his way to give the working classes greater facilities for making use of the Trustee Savings Banks and the Post Office Savings Banks.

MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)

It seems to me that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has well fulfilled the pledge he gave on this subject. The object of the Amendment is to enable a depositor who has been compelled to withdraw his money to replace it during the current year, and I think it has been very carefully drawn in the House of Lords.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover Square

I think that if the hon. Member opposite will refer to what I said in the Debates on this clause he will see that; we have met the difficulty which was then pointed out. It is impossible to deal with a current account on the same terms as a deposit account. I can assure the hon. Member that I have endeavoured to draw this clause in order to meet his requirements.

Amendments agreed to.