§ 53. Sir HAROLD ELVERSTONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the repeated statements by Members of this House that the life assurance companies, with profit to themselves and loss to the assured, have lapsed millions of life assurance policies during the last year or two, he will appoint a small Committee to test the accuracy of these statements, to ascertain whether the provisions of the Courts Emergency Powers Act, which are designed to protect industrial policy holders, are being evaded; and whether there is reason to suppose that the life assurance companies are making profits out of the. War or are treating their members unjustly in the matter of war extras, etc.?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Sir Albert Stanley)I do not think the appointment of a Committee, 320 with a reference limited to the points to which my hon. Friend draws attention, would be satisfactory, but I have under consideration the question of a more general inquiry into industrial life assurance business.