§ 15. Mr. MACKINDERasked the Home Secretary if he will inquire as to the method adopted by the Chief Registrar in arriving at the number of trade unionists claiming exemption under the political fund rules; and is he aware that in a Return published recently the National Union of Distributive and Allied Workers were stated to have 4,916 members claiming exemption, whereas the actual number was 211?
Sir W.JOYNSON-HICKSThe method has been to include in the form of Annual Return a question asking for the number of members exempted from contributing to the political fund. This number was given by the union in question in the Return for 1923 as 4,916. The union has since, in answer to a request by the Chief Registrar for further information, stated that this figure includes members who were more than three months in arrears with their trade union contributions and that the proper figure was 211.