HC Deb 14 February 1899 vol 66 c867
MR. FLYNN () Cork, N.

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney-General, in regard to some of the English Insurance Companies requiring the resealing of Irish letters of probate in connection with claims under policies, whether any steps can be taken to abolish a practice which involves expense and delay?

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir R. WEBSTER,) Isle of Wight

I am informed by the authorities at Somerset House that the Insurance Companies do require Irish probates to be resealed in England before payment, and the same rule applies to English and Scotch probates in Ireland—they have to be resealed before they are valid. The matter is determined by statute, and cannot be altered except by legislation. I am told that expense and delay in obtaining resealing is much less than it was formerly in obtaining separate giants in each country.

MR. FLYNN

I should like to say the expense is very much more than is popularly supposed.