§ Mr. CAUTLEYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with a view to allaying misapprehension and to prevent misrepresentation, he can see his way to provisionally approve small friendly societies at once, subject to the requirements of the Insurance Commissioners being complied with before 16th October, 1912, in those cases in which the necessary applications have been made in the prescribed form, and only certain technical requirements are being made by the Insurance Commissioners?
§ Mr. MASTERMANSerious administrative difficulties might arise if a general practice was adopted of granting provisional approval to every class of societies which have not complied with the necessary steps for becoming approved societies. The Commissioners are bringing to the notice of all small societies a simplified form of model rules for State insurance business, and very full information is being supplied to enable them to make application in accordance with the requirements of the Act. Immediately these suggestions are followed the Commissioners will be able to grant approval without delay. A circular, of which a copy was sent to the hon. Member, was recently addressed to all small societies which were not likely to be approved by 15th July, with the object of allaying the misapprehension referred to in the question, and a notice to the same effect appeared in the Press. I may add that rural societies are being rapidly approved. In Lincolnshire, for instance, the Rural Workers' Insurance Society embraces forty-nine affiliated404W clubs, and there are two other associations with whom the Commissioners are in active correspondence. In Devonshire a federation comprises over fifty societies. In Bedfordshire and Sussex nearly 100 societies are in hand and will be at once approved on the formal adoption of their new rules.