47. Captain A. Evansasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the recurrence of slate and loan depredations at the post-Christmas season; whether he can give the number of prosecutions and suicides; and whether he will consider the need for a change in the law governing the operation of these organisations?
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Lieut.-Colonel Colville)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The information for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks in the second part is not available, but I am informed that, so far as London is concerned, the number of complaints of defalcations in connection with slate, loan and benefit clubs received by the Metropolitan Police in 1937 was 33, and that in 30 of these cases there were prosecutions. The Metropolitan Police have no knowledge of any suicides directly due to these offences. The question of taking statutory power to control such clubs, which has often been considered, presents considerable difficulties.
Captain EvansWith a view to encouraging the increased purchase of National Saving Certificates by these loan clubs, will the Treasury or the Home Office be prepared to advise clubs on suitable and adequate safeguards?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleI will consider my hon. and gallant Friend's point. There is, however, no difficulty in framing satisfactory rules for those clubs who will apply them. The difficulty as regards legislation is to provide something that would not be unduly repressive in regulating the large number of clubs which exist.
Captain EvansWill the Financial Secretary be kind enough to bear in mind the remarks that are made from time to time by magistrates who have to deal with this question?
§ Mr. ThurtleDo the figures quoted for London include what are known as "diddlum" clubs?