§ MR. JAMES RANKIN (Herefordshire, Leominster)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether he will agree to the Return with reference to persons in receipt of annuities from the Post Office and other insurance offices which stands on the Paper this day?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.As regards Post Office Annuities, the information is in the possession of the Post Office, but its tabulation would involve a considerable expenditure of time and money. As regards friendly societies and insurance offices, no Government Department is in possession of the information required. It could only be obtained by issuing circulars to 24,000 friendly societies and to the various insurance offices. The insurance offices would not be under any obligation to give the information asked for, and, so far as I know, this is also true of the friendly societies. In these circumstances, I do not think the Return can be given.