§ Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that, by the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act, in- 1134W dustrial assurance policies of £25 face value and under, if such policies had been in force for two complete years before the declaration of war, do not lapse unless they have been discharged by a claim there under or a surrender value being paid thereon, is he aware that the societies and other associations liable under these policies have tried to evade the Emergency Powers Act and have served lapse notices on the policy holders, and causing them to believe that their policies have lapsed; and whether, failing his having these companies prosecuted for a fraudulent practice, he will have a Return made of such policies and intimation made to the holders, who are in many cases the families of soldiers and sailors, that their policies are not lapsed, and so secure them the benefits of the Act and prevent the accomplishment of a fraud?
§ Mr. SHORTTComplaints of the nature to which my hon. Friend refers were made in evidence before Lord Par moor's Committee, and provision for a proper intimation to policy-holders will be made in the Bill which is to be introduced to carry out that Committee's recommendations.