MARQUESS Of TULLIBARDINEasked whether the hon. Gentleman will publish with the Votes the names of the conveners at meetings of lecturers held under the 365 Insurance Commissioners, giving the date and place of each meeting?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI cannot add anything to the previous answers which I have given to the hon. Member for Colchester and the hon. Member for London University.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEIf it is inconvenient to give this Return will the hon. Gentleman give a list of the conveners who have paid for their meetings.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI will consider that.
§ Mr. BOOTHIs it not unwise to give the names in cases where these societies have asked for a confidential interview in order to lay their own financial position before an adviser, and would it not greatly prejudice them to have this information published?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI will consider that point.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEIs it not in order to protect the public who have to pay for these meetings which ought to be paid for by the State?
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEasked whether, in order to prevent confusion, he will say whether the Mr. F. J. Robertson, journalist, whose name appears upon the list of lecturers under the National Insurance Act for Scotland is the same as a gentleman of a similar name and initials who is a prominent member of the Young Scot Society, or whether he is the same gentleman who acted as a Liberal election agent, or the same as another gentleman who was a free trade lecturer; and, if not, in what branch of journalism is he employed?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI would ask the Noble Lord to postpone the question. The secretary of the Scottish Commission is inquiring of the gentleman referred to concerning the particulars desired.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEDid the Secretary to the Scotch Commissioners make inquiries before he appointed this gentleman?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI do not think he knew whether this gentleman was a member of the Young Scot Society or not.
§ Mr. MASTERMANTo-morrow.
§ Mr. PRINGLEI would like to know whether Liberalism is considered to be a disqualification.
§ Mr. GODFREY LOCKER-LAMPSONasked if the hon. Gentleman will place in the Vote Office for the information of Members copies of the document, entitled "Questions and Answers for Lecturers," issued by the Insurance Commissioners on 23rd January?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe "Questions and Answers for Lecturers" form one of a series which is being prepared of "Questions and Answers" for the use of various classes of persons affected by the Act. They are designed not only for the use of official lecturers, but for all secretaries of friendly societies, etc., and others who wish to impart accurate information concerning the Act. Owing to the enormous pressure of work and correspondence I regret to say that none of these have been completed at present, but I shall be glad to send copies of them immediately on publication to all Members of the House who desire them.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether the questions and answers which have already been issued to the lecturers, and which were complete on the 23rd of January, cannot now immediately be published, in accordance with the promise given?
§ Mr. MASTERMANNo questions and answers have already been issued to lecturers, and none were completed by the 23rd of January. If they had been I should have been only too glad to lay them on the Table.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSIs it not a fact that the instructions to lecturers gave directions to answer questions at meetings out of the official questions and answers, and is it not a fact that to do this they must have been in existence?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThat is not a fact. I can assure the hon. Member that they have not been in existence. It was stated that the answers contained in the questions and answers and other publications should under some circumstances be used, and the sooner we produce them the better pleased we shall be.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have already stated that owing to the enormous pressure of work none of these publications have yet been able to be prepared. They are being prepared as quickly as possible, and I hope in a very short time they will be in the hands of hon. Members.