Sir GILBERT PARKERasked whether the right hon. Gentleman has received protests from friendly societies concerning the proposed Amendment to Clause 25, which is designed to offer relief to such societies, and if the substance of those protests has been that the proposed relief is illusory, and that in any case the Amendment sets up a differentiation between friendly societies which are restricted by their rules from dividing any part of their funds among their members and other such societies, which, under certain well-defined conditions, may divide their funds?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEMy right hon. Friend has received protests on this subject, as to which I may refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to the Noble Lord the Member for the Thirsk Division of the North Biding of Yorkshire, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumbartonshire.