§ MR. WALSH (Lancashire, Ince)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that a memorial protesting against the transfer of the Loyal Philanthropic Friendly Society to the Royal Liver has been forwarded to the Chief Registrar, on the ground that a material consideration as to the allocation of a sum of £27,000 was withheld prior to the consent of the members being obtained to the proposed transfer; whether he will instruct the Chief Registrar to see that the interests of members are adequately safeguarded before such transfer receives official sanction; and will he say what steps the Chief Registrar is taking to assure himself that the consent of the requisite number of members has been obtained to the transfer.
§ MR. RUNCIMANMy right hon. friend has asked me to answer this Question. The Chief Registrar informs me that he only received the memorial this morning, and that he has not had time to examine it. The Friendly Societies Act, 1896, however, contains stringent regulations governing cases like this, and the Chief Registrar, of course, will not register the special resolution required under the Act until he is satisfied that the conditions of the Act have been complied with, nor without giving the memorialists an opportunity of being heard, if they so desire. The hon. Member may therefore rest assured that the interests of all parties will be properly safeguarded.