HC Deb 02 August 1926 vol 198 c2620
52. Commander FANSHAWE

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of the total annual income is used for management expenses, including salaries, by societies registered under the Friendly Societies Act?

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Ronald McNeill)

I have been asked to reply. No statistics are available which give the precise information desired. Societies registered under the Friendly Societies Act include not only friendly societies, but also working men's clubs, cattle insurance societies, benevolent societies, and especially authorised societies. The management expenses ratio on these four classes has never been calculated. In 1924 friendly societies (other than societies with branches, which include 50 per cent. of friendly society membership, and collecting societies) received total contributions of £6,430,000, and spent on management £690,000, or about 7½ per cent. of contributions. In the same year collecting societies spent 34 per cent. of their total income on management.