§ 38. Mr. Douglas Marshallasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that adopted sons have made allotments to their adopted mothers and, in certain cases, these mothers have banked money in their adopted sons names in order to have a nest egg for them; that if the adopted son is an orphan and has been killed in action without having made a will his estate becomes the property of the Crown; and whether, in these circumstances, he will introduce legislation to allow the adopted parents to be considered as next-of-kin with regard to the estate.
§ Mr. EdeI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for North Aberdeen (Mr. Hector Hughes) on 4th July, and I would remind him that under Section 46 (1) (vi) of the Administration of Estates Act, 1925, the Crown has power in cases of intestacy to provide for dependants, whether they are kindred or not of the intestate, and I understand that this power can be exercised in favour of adoptive parents.
§ Mr. MarshallIf I send a case to the right hon. Gentleman will he give it sympathetic consideration?