§ 79. Sir Arnold Wilsonasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the report for 1936 of the Industrial Assurance Commissioner was shown in the Journals of this House has having been presented to Parliament on 4th March but has not yet been published; whether he can state the reason for this delay; and whether it is intended to publish this report at an early date?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The report referred to will contain a quinquennial actuarial survey of industrial assurance companies and collecting societies and therefore has involved greater labour in its preparation than the reports in the intervening years. I hope that the report will be published before Christmas.
§ Sir A. WilsonCan the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say why this report was nominally presented on 4th March, when it could not possibly have been ready on that date, not even in proof form?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleIf my hon. Friend will look back for five years to the last occasion when a quinquennial survey was made, he will see that in that case also there was a delay of several months. I am looking into the point mentioned by him.
§ Mr. ShinwellAs these reports usually contain very important statistical information of great interest to insurance societies throughout the country, would it not have been possible to have introduced an interim report, without reference to the quinquennial valuation?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleI think it is more valuable to wait for the full survey and that is the practice which was adopted five years ago.
§ Mr. ShinwellCan we have an assurance from the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, that in future there will be no such delay?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleI think there will be less delay in the future.