§ Mr. Squireasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when the Registry of Friendly Societies was first informed of the proposal to merge the Anglia Building Society and the London and South of England Building Society;
(2) what consultations have taken place between the Registrar of Friendly Societies and the Anglia and London and South of England Building Societies on the subject of the proposed merger.
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies was consulted about the proposed merger of the Anglia Building Society and the London and South of England Building Society; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneIt would be contrary to the normal practice to disclose information about confidential talks between the registry and building societies. The registry's role in respect of this and other mergers was set out in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 30 March 1982.
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies has received a copy of the annual report of the Anglia Building Society; and whether the document refers to impending mergers.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneThe answer to the first part of the question is "Yes" and to the second "No".
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, according to the annual returns of the Registry of Friendly Societies, when were the last annual general meetings of the Anglia Building Society and the London and South of England Building Society.
82W
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneIn the case of the Anglia Building Society, 20 April 1982 for the financial year ended 31 December 1981. In the case of the London and South of England Building Society, 25 June 1981 for the financial year ended 4 April 1981.
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the London and South of England Building Society submitted their most recent annual return to the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneOn 26 June 1981, in respect of the financial year ended 4 April 1981.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will amend the regulations on the content of annual returns to the Registry of Friendly Societies so that societies are required to set out the names of companies to which special advances are made.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneThe Chief Registrar will be putting forward such a change as a basis for consultation with the accountancy bodies and the building societies, when the Building Societies (Accounts and Annual Return) Regulations are next revised, probably within a year.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, since 1960, how many prosecutions have taken place against building societies which have failed to provide accurate information in their annual returns to the Registry of Friendly Societies.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneNone.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since 1962 action has been taken by the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies under section 110 of the Building Societies Act.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneTwo.
In 1965 a special meeting of the members of the Refuge Building Society was held to consider a special resolution to authorise a petition to the court for the winding-up of the society. This meeting was called by the Chief Registrar because a meeting of the board to authorise the calling of the meeting of the members could not be convened for lack of quorum.
In 1978 inspectors were appointed into the affairs of the Grays Building Society.