§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLTo ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called 945 to the statement made by Sir E. W. Hamilton, in his evidence given to the Select Committee on the Savings Banks Funds of 1902, that State aid to savings banks would have a very demoralising effect; and whether, seeing that for some years past State aid has been given to the savings banks by making good deficiencies in the working accounts of both the Post Office Savings Bank and the Trustee Savings Banks, he purposes to take any measures to put an end to the demoralising effect resulting from this State aid.
(Answered by Mr. Lloyd-George.) The position of the Government in relation to this question was explained by my predecessor in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Preston on 19th March. He then stated that, although no sufficient reason has yet arisen for departing from the policy approved by the last House of Commons in 1904, the subject is one that requires to be, and is, kept steadily in view.