HC Deb 08 July 1915 vol 73 cc512-3
8. Sir WILLIAM PEARCE

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is prepared to announce the Government decision as to aircraft insurance and damage by enemy incendiaries?

54. Sir GILBERT PARKER

asked the Prime Minister whether he can now state when the scheme for insurance against war risks will be laid before the House of Commons or published; and whether the Government have taken note of the anxiety felt by numbers of people throughout the country to whom the present rates of war insurance are prohibitive or very burdensome?

Mr. FERENS

Before the right hon. Gentleman replies, may I ask him if he can assure the House that the Bill now in course of preparation will be carried into law before the House rises for the vacation?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

In answer to that question it will not be necessary, I believe, to proceed to legislation in order to extend the scheme of war risk insurance to damage by aircraft. It will be done by Executive action, as the original war risk scheme was, and can be put into operation at once. I must refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Deptford and the hon. Member for Aston Manor.

Sir GODFREY BARING

Have we not had a similar answer given on many occasions in this House, and can the right hon. Gentleman now state the precise date or the approximate precise date when the scheme will be ready?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I would not like to name the exact date, but the deliberations of the Committee, I understand, were brought to a conclusion this morning, and I hope they will let me have their recommendations at once, and I shall be able to make an announcement next week.

28. Mr. FELL

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has considered the amount of work and expenditure involved in the insurance of all the property of a destructible nature in the United Kingdom against damage by raids; and if, with a view to avoiding this expense and trouble, the Government will undertake to pay any such damage when it arises and the amount is assessed?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The point raised by the hon. Gentleman has been fully considered, and the conclusion arrived at is that any State scheme for dealing with damage by bombardment or by aircraft must be an insurance scheme and not one of simple indemnity.