§ Mr. FELLasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps, if any, are being taken to organise meetings of those who are not members of friendly societies or trade unions to be addressed by the official lecturers, who can explain to them the advantages which will accrue to the members of approved societies and the advantages of those who remain outside and become deposit contributors?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIt is hoped that the majority of those who are not already members of friendly societies or trade unions in England will obtain the necessary information directly or indirectly through the conferences and lectures held at the request of organisations or persons who contemplate forming approved societies. If this proves insufficient further steps will be taken, as in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales; and, as I announced last Wednesday, these will probably be necessary in the cases of the women and labourers of the remoter rural districts of England.
§ Mr. REMNANTHow long will these lecturers have to go through their training before they are allowed to lecture on their own account?
Captain CRAIGasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a circular issued in Ireland, giving no address to apply to, by the Insurance Commissioners, in accordance with instructions received from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, requesting business firms to grant facilities to organising 1195 instructors to explain the objects and provisions of the National Insurance Act to their employés; can he set out the nature of the facilities required; and whether the cost of such is intended to be borne by the employers, the employés, or the State?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have seen a copy of the circular referred to. The words "National Health Insurance Commission (Ireland)" appear at the head of it and constitute a sufficient address. With regard to the nature of the meetings, I beg to refer the hon. and gallant Member to the White Paper which I hope to circulate today. No cost is entailed beyond the lecturer's salary and expenses, which are paid by the Commission.
Captain CRAIGasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether His Majesty's Government have sanctioned Sunday lectures by official lecturers under the National Insurance Act, paid out of public funds; and, if not, will he take steps to prohibit Sunday lectures in future?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIn England two conferences on Sunday have been held with shop assistants and railway servants on their own representation that on no other day was it possible for them to assemble. In Ireland the Commissioners have sanctioned Sunday lectures on the Insurance Act which have been presided over by parish priests, and in at least one case by the Bishop of the Diocese. In Wales and Scotland no Sunday lectures have been held.
Captain CRAIGCan the hon. Gentleman say whether there is to be any restriction in regard to Sunday lectures or lecturers in any part of the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI know of no restriction. I think it depends upon the necessity of the population.
§ Mr. CLYNESWill the hon. Gentleman ascertain the views of the hon. and gallant Member on the question of prohibiting meetings on Thursday?
Captain CRAIGasked the Secretary to the Treasury what precautions are taken to ensure that in the province of Ulster the lecturers appointed by the National Insurance Commissioners who are themselves members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, United Irish League, Sinn Fein, Gaelic League, or other Nationalist 1196 organisations, do not use their official position to persuade people to join-these bodies for the purpose of insurance in preference to other associations more in accord with the feelings of the majority of the people of Ulster; and whether he will give instructions to such State-paid lecturers that any meetings they attend are to be free to the public Press?
§ Mr. MASTERMANLecturers have been specifically forbidden by instructions-issued by all the Commissions to recommend one form of society for the purposes of insurance in preference to another. These instructions will be printed in the White Paper, which I hope to circulate to-day. I do not believe that any lecturer has abused his official position in the manner suggested, but I shall be quite willing to investigate at once any specific charge of any such abuse if the hon. and gallant Member has any case which he can bring to my notice. As I stated in reply to the hon. Member for Colchester on Thursday last, no objection will be raised to the admission of the Press where the organisations convening the conferences so desire.
§ Mr. MOOREAre these lecturers entitled to praise the Budget? Has the hon. Gentleman seen a report in to-day's "Times" by one of these lecturers called Doyle, of county Wicklow?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have no authentic information on the subject; perhaps the hon. and learned Gentleman will communicate with me?
§ Mr. CRUMLEYIs it true that the Portadown Urban District Council refused to allow these lectures to be given in a hall in the hon. Member's constituency?
Captain CRAIGCan the hon. Gentleman state what objection there is to the Press attending meetings in order to ascertain and publish what actually goes on at these lectures?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThat depends upon the nature of the meetings. There are some organisations that wish their business details discussed in connection with their becoming approved societies, and they specially ask that those business details should not be made public.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYCan the hon. Gentleman say if in any of the many other countries which have national insurance there have been partisan attempts to wreck the administration of the Act?