§ MR. JOHN RUTHERFORD (Lancashire, Darwen)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the remarks of His Honour Judge Hans Hamilton, at the Blackburn County Court, on Monday, 10th February, 1908, with regard to the gambling in human lives, also remarks of the same Judge on the same subject in the Preston Court, on 22nd October, 1907; whether, in view of the amount of business done by some assurance companies in a class of policy rendered illegal by an Act of 48 George III., c. 14, passed some 125 years ago, upon lives where ore person insuring has no insurable interest in the person insured; and whether he will consider the desirability of advising His Majesty to appoint a Royal Commission, in the interests of the industrial classes, to inquire into the way life insurance business is being carried on.
§ MR. GLADSTONEMy attention hid not been called to these remarks until the hon. Member kindly sent me a copy of them. I will consider the matter, and communicate upon it with the Treasury, which is the Department primarily concerned.