Clause 1.—(SUBSTITUTION OF NEW CONDITION.) (Hansard, 21 July 1949)

§ Lieut.-Colonel Elliot (Scottish Universities)
We said last night that we need not raise any objection to the passing of this Bill, and discussion scarcely arises upon it. It is, as was stated by the Minister, a Bill to repair an oversight. Clause 1 repairs that oversight and the other Clauses are merely incidental to bringing it into effect. There is a certain amount of very thorough planning in connection with this death grant. I should like to know from the Minister whether it is true that one of the regulations which he recently issued provides that in the case of an executed criminal only two-fifths of the death grant is to be paid? Is that not carrying planning to hypocritical lengths considering the very small proportion of our population who die by judicial hanging? It seems unnecessary to make special provision that it should be only two-fifths under such circumstances.

§ The Minister of National Insurance (Mr. James Griffiths)
I do not see what that point has to do with this Bill. There are certain regulations which have been issued, but the right hon. and gallant Gentleman never gave me any notice on this point and I have not got a copy of 1691 the regulations with me. I will look up the point but I do not think there is any such provision in the regulations. In any event, I do not see that it has anything to do with this Clause.

§ Lieut.-Colonel Elliot
It has to do with this Clause only in that the Clause extends the provision and would extend it to cover the unlikely hypothesis of such a case if it arose and was brought within the terms of Clause 1 of the Bill. If such a regulation were issued I take it that it is extended by the terms of Clause 1. I do not wish to be harsh with the Minister, I merely say that there is a certain danger in trying to stop up every avenue by which an anomaly might arise because sometimes an even greater anomaly arises than that which we are trying to prevent.