§ 13. Mr. LYONSasked the Home Secretary whether he can now make any further statement upon the matter of compulsory workmen's compensation insurance?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Oliver Stanley)As regards general compulsory insurance, I would refer to the replies given to my hon. Friend on the 17th November and to the hon. Member for Leigh on the 27th October last. As regards development of insurance in the coal-mining industry, my right hon. Friend heard last month from the Mining Association that, except in Lancashire where proposals for a new scheme were still unsettled, insurance of a comprehensive character is now provided by the Mutual Indemnity Associations in each district, and that marked progress has been made in securing that colliery undertakings obtain cover from a Mutual Indemnity Association or Insurance Company. The negotiations for these arrangements have necessarily involved a considerable amount of work, but the association assured my right hon. Friend that they do not anticipate any difficulty in getting matters on a thoroughly satisfactory basis in the near future.
§ Mr. MARTINCan my hon. Friend say whether any of these schemes include provision for past liabilities in mining areas?
§ Mr. STANLEYAs my hon. Friend is aware, the whole of this subject can be debated on Friday on a Private Member's Bill, and perhaps it will be more convenient to leave questions of that kind until them.