Mr. MONTAGUE BARLOWasked the Chancellor whether, in view of the fact that, under the provisions of the National Insurance Bill the collection of the weekly payments from insured persons is to be conducted through the Post Office, he has considered the immediate effect on the large body of small collectors throughout the country to whose efforts the present satisfactory conditions of many of the friendly societies are due; and, seeing that their livelihood will be jeopardised by the passing of the Bill, whether he proposes to compensate them in any way for the loss of the amounts paid by many of them for the purchase of their collector's book?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe collectors are engaged almost exclusively on life insurance, which is excluded from the scope of the Bill. Moreover, as I understand, the industrial insurance and collecting societies contemplate setting up sickness sections, which will conform to the conditions of the Bill. The services of the collectors will undoubtedly be utilised938W largely as secretaries and visitors. The Bill will, therefore, ensure increased remuneration for them.