HC Deb 03 August 1926 vol 198 cc2954-6

Lords Amendment:

In page 3, line 40, after "aforesaid" insert and for the purpose of the jurisdiction of any Court to make orders as to the custody and maintenance and right of access to children.

Captain HACKING

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

The effect of the Amendment is to give the Courts, in the case of divorce or separation, power to make an order for the custody of the adopted child.

Lords Amendment:

In page 4, lines 6 and 7, leave out " under any will, settlement, or other."

Captain HACKING

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

This and the following Amendment are purely drafting Amendments consequential upon the introduction of Clause 5 of the definition of the word "disposition."

subsequent Lords Amendment agreed to.

Lords Amendment:

In page 4, line 28, at the end, insert as a new Sub-section: (5)For the purposes of the enactments relating o friendly societies, collecting societies, and industrial assurance companies, which enable such societies and companies to insure money to be paid for funeral expenses; and which restrict the persons to whom money may be paid on the death of a child under the age of ten, the adopter shall be deemed to be the parent of the child; and where before the adoption order was made any such insurance had been effected by the natural parent of the child, the rights and liabilities under the policy shall by virtue of the adoption order he transferred to the adopter, and the adopter shall, for the purposes of the said enactments, be treated as the person who took out the policy.

Captain HACKING

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

This is of rather more substance. The industrial insurance companies under the provisions of the Industrial Insurance Act, 1923, are empowered to issue policies ensuring the payment of funeral expenses on the death of the child. The insurance companies have approached the Home Office and put two questions. One is what would happen to the policy on the child being adopted? The second is whether the adopting parent could insure the adopted child in the same way as the natural parent. It is quite obvious this matter must be examined, and the Amendment was moved in the House of Lords to give effect to the recommendations of the insurance companies. The Bill, in fact, says the policy shall automatically be transferred from the natural to the adopting parents. The companies agree with this Amendment, and as the amount is very small cannot see there would be objection to its being inserted.