§ 47. Mr. ROBINSON(forMr. SPENCER) asked the Home Secretary the present position in regard to the insurance of colliery workers against nonfatal accidents?
§ Sir J. GILMOURAs regards the position generally, I would refer to the reply given to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr. Martin) on 15th June and to previous replies on this subject. Generally speaking, good progress appears to have been made, but the situation in Lancashire, in which my hon. Friend is no doubt primarily interested, is, I regret to state, still very unsatisfactory. One indemnity company is actively considering a scheme to insure employers against disablement as well as fatal cases on the lines adopted in other districts, but their membership has been confined mainly to the northern part of the county. My right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State saw last week representatives from the south-western area who submitted proposals for a fund designed to provide some financial assistance in the event of bankruptcy, but this scheme appeared on the information furnished to be inadequate. He urged strongly upon them that the question should be reconsidered and that something should now be done as rapidly as possible to put matters on a satisfactory footing. I shall continue to keep in close touch with the situation and make every effort to secure prompt and adequate arrangements.