§ Sir A. Wilsonasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the proportion of male members of approved societies conducted by industrial assurance and collecting societies, whose insurances cease otherwise than by death or on attainment of 65 years of age, is double the corresponding figure for males of friendly societies with branches and employers' provident funds taken together, and almost double in the case of women; and whether, in view of the fact that the industrial assurance and friendly collecting societies embrace over 40 per cent, of the whole membership of approved societies, he will initiate without delay, a special inquiry into a state of affairs which was reported by the Government actuary in July, 1937, and will, unless remedied, involve eventual loss of contributory pensions to some hundreds of thousands of men and women?
§ Mr. ElliotAs stated in my reply to my hon. and gallant Friend on 23rd February, the question of an investigation into the matter to which he refers cannot be considered until the present exceptional pressure on my Department abates. As regards title to contributory pensions I 2371W must explain that whenever a claim to pension appears to fail on the ground that the person on whose insurance the claim is based has lapsed from insurance full inquiries are made before the claim is rejected to ensure that the insurance has not been wrongly terminated. I would also point out that, since insurance is resumed on re-entry into employment, a great many persons do, in fact, complete the qualifying periods for contributory pension on their new insurance.