§ 42. Lieut.-Commander Tufnellasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware of the difficulties encountered by friendly societies in payment of claims arising out of the death of members on war service; whether friendly societies do not need a certificate of death in these cases, or whether, where they are trustee institutions, they must have such a certificate; and whether, to clarify the whole position, he can make a statement on the subject?
§ Captain CrookshankI am not aware of difficulties of the kind mentioned in the Question, and perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will let me have information on any specific cases he has in mind. I understand that certificates of death must be produced only in cases where the death is or ought to be entered in any register of deaths. This is not required in the case of deaths on active service.
§ Mr. Rhys DaviesWill the right hon. Gentleman remember that friendly societies are in general bound by their rules to require a copy of the death certificate before they pay benefit?
§ Captain CrookshankI did not say I was going to consider it. I asked my hon. and gallant Friend to let me know what the difficulty was.