§ 22. Mr. JOWETTasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the case of Mr. John Brearley, an operative painter of Bradford, who met with an accident whilst following his employment on the 16th November, 1912, and was afterwards awarded compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act at the rate of 17s. 4d. per week, payment of which sum was stopped on the 28th March, 1914, owing to the National General Insurance Company, with whom the employers concerned in the case were insured, having gone into liquidation; and if he will say whether the Government held a deposit for the National General Insurance Company at the date of liquidation from which the company's liabilities could be discharged?
§ Sir J. SIMONMy attention had not been previously called to this case. My hon. Friend of course appreciates that the right of the workmen to be paid compensation by his employer is not in the least affected by the failure of the insurance company. I am informed by the Board of Trade that the company in question did not make and were not under any obligation to make any deposit in respect of their employers' liability insurance business. The obligation to make such deposits does not extend to companies which commenced to carry on that class of business in the United Kingdom previously to the passing of the Employers' Liability Insurance Companies Act of 1907.