67. Mr. POINTERasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention had been drawn to a circular issued to friendly societies, containing model resolutions to be passed by societies and branches of societies desiring to become approved under the National Insurance Act; whether these model resolutions implied that the subscriptions paid by members of these societies and branches must be immediately reduced pending the final approval of the scheme submitted to the Registrar; whether he was aware that the circular was causing considerable resentment amongst numbers of friendly society members; and whether the circular would be withdrawn owing to its ambiguity and interference with the rights of self-government which members of friendly societies had always enjoyed?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIf the hon. Member's question refers to the form of provisional scheme under Section 72 of the National Insurance Act issued by the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies, this form does not imply that the subscriptions paid by members of societies and branches must be immediately reduced pending the final approval of the scheme submitted to the Registrar. It was intended to provide societies with an easy method of reducing, by a proper amount, the contributions of members who become insured persons, if the society desires to make such reductions, and was accompanied in each case by a circular which makes the matter clear. The circular states that it is open to a society to submit a scheme for continuing each member's contributions and benefits as before, and that it may give an option to members who become insured persons to continue their present contributions and benefits, or to pay contributions and receive benefits at a reduced rate.
Mr. POINTERHave the hon. Gentleman's Department and the Commissioners received several letters of protest, asking for an explanation with regard to this particular form? Under these circumstances, would it not be best to withdraw the circular because of its misleading character? A large number of friendly society leaders, at any rate in my own town of Sheffield, are up in arms against it, thinking it means that they have to do this compulsorily.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have received no representations at all on the subject, and 292 I have no knowledge of my Department having received any. If the hon. Member will look at the circular he will see that it is quite voluntary on the part of the friendly societies. I am quite prepared to make that clear in the proper fashion.