HC Deb 04 July 1907 vol 177 cc846-8
MR. PARKER (Halifax)

To ask the Secretary to the Treasury what was the amount of unclaimed money held by the Court of Chancery twenty years ago; what amounts have been paid to claimants during the past twenty years; and what amount has been appropriated by the State during this period.

(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) The subjoined statement shows the position of the dormant funds in Court at triennial periods since 1884. It should, however, be borne in mind that "dormant funds" do not necessarily represent "unclaimed money." No amount has been appropriated to the State from these funds during that period.

Dormant funds * in Court on 1st September of years named. Funds paid out.†
Date. Number of separate accounts. Cash. Securities. Nominal total. Number of separate accounts. Cash. Securities
£ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ £
1884 2,969 402,992 10 3 432,139 14 8 895,132 4 11 459 40,500 75,300
1887 2,978 496,652 19 0 522,305 1 4 1,018,958 0 4 292 42,500 106,300
1890 3,126 517,487 7 6 583,711 1 2 1,101,198 8 8 353 68,800 100,100
1893 3,151 492,953 7 11 659,131 12 8 1,152,085 0 7 377 48,300 196,000
1896 3,148 482,410 6 9 606,432 15 2 1,088,843 1 11 381 56,200 154,600
1899 3,238 460,915 8 11 593,024 0 7 1,053,939 9 6 333 39,600 135,600
1902 3,261 455,893 15 6 592,842 7 5 1,048,736 2 11 229 29,200 107,450
1905 3,353 453,876 6 7 502,588 6 2 956,464 12 9 — — —
325,100 875,350
325,100
Grand total. 1,200,450
*A dormant fund is "an account in the books of the Pay Office to the credit of which there stood" on the dates named "any sums not less than £50, which have not been dealt with, otherwise than by the continuous investment or placing on deposits of dividends, during the fifteen years immediately preceding the said dates" (Rule 101, Supreme Court Funds Rules, 1905).
† These amounts are calculated triennially, on the preparation of a new list of dormant funds, as being paid out of the accounts in the preceding list.