§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Director of Public Prosecutions in Ireland, in view of the opinion of the Irish Court of Appeal that the policies of the Irish Provident Assurance Company must be regarded as life assurance policies, of the additional evidence to the same effect placed in his hands, and of the continued operations of four similar companies now collecting money from poor people in Ireland, proposes to institute a prosecution or to take any action to stop those operations and have their victims indemnified?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Attorney-General informs me that proceedings for the winding up of the Irish Provident Assurance Company are now pending in the Chancery Division of the High Court in Ireland, and that inquiries are being made in that matter into the operations of the company and the conduct of the directors. The Attorney-General must await the result of these proceedings in order to be in a position to say whether a criminal prosecution, if any, should be instituted, and against whom. The Irish Government is not aware that any similarly constituted company is carrying on operations similar to those of the Irish Provident Assurance Company, which have been declared illegal. If this be the case the Attorney-General will be glad to get particulars.