HC Deb 19 January 1954 vol 522 c810
12 and 13. Mr. Hay

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) which are the local authorities that operate schemes for insuring the contents of houses let to tenants and owned by the local authority;

(2) in what respects he considers that there is a doubt as to the legality of schemes operated by local authorities for insuring the contents of their tenants' dwelling-houses; and what action he proposes to take to clarify the position.

Mr. H. Macmillan

Local authorities do not have to inform me about such schemes, and I know of two authorities only which operate them. I have no authority to interpret the statutes, but I am advised that, unless a local authority have a financial interest in such contents, they have no powers to operate insurance schemes.

Mr. Hay

Would my right hon. Friend at this stage say which local authorities of which he has personal knowledge are operating such schemes? Is there any action he can take to ensure that local authorities are not straining the statute by having schemes of this kind?

Mr. Macmillan

The action does not lie with me. I only gave what I thought was the interpretation of the statute. The action would lie with the district auditor.