HC Deb 15 July 1912 vol 41 cc24-5
64. Mr. CHARLES BATHURST

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state what is approximately the number of employed persons who, prior to the coming into operation of the National Insurance Act, have become members of approved societies for the purposes of the Act; and what proportion of these are women?

Mr. MASTERMAN

Members are now being recruited every day in great numbers by the different approved societies, and until the cards are returned the Commission will have no official information as to their exact numbers. Information received direct from the societies indicates that the approximate number is between nine and ten millions, but does not enable me to state at present what proportion of these are women.

Mr. C. BATHURST

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean to convey that all the members of the old affiliated orders are members of these orders for the purposes of the Insurance Act?

Mr. MASTERMAN

Oh, no. The information we are concerned about is as to members of approved societies.

Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

What proportion were already insured in their own societies?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I could not say offhand. Perhaps about 4,000,000.

Mr. RUPERT GWYNNE

Are we to understand that the 10,000,000 mentioned in the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday included people who joined not for the purposes of the Act at all?

Mr. MASTERMAN

The statement I made to-day is that nearly 10,000,000 are now members of approved societies.

Mr. BUTCHER

Does that mean that they joined for the purpose of the Act or that they are members of friendly societies?

Mr. MASTERMAN

They are members who are members of approved societies for the purposes of the Act.

Mr. BUTCHER

That does not answer my question. Have the 10,000,000 joined these societies for the purpose of the Act?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I cannot make it any clearer. Every man starts afresh under the Act as a member of an approved society. There were no approved societies before the Act came into force. There are now 10,000,000 of such members of approved societies.

Mr. SPEAKER

Further questions upon this subject should be put down.