§ INSURANCE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES AGAINST ACCIDENTS TO MEMBERS
§ Mr. Carol JohnsonI beg to move, Amendment No. 543, in page 89, line 37, after 'member', insert 'or officer'.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Miss Harvie Anderson)With this Amendment can be taken Amendment No. 544, in page 90, line 1, after 'member', insert 'or officer'.
§ Mr. JohnsonI think I can put this point very shortly to the Under-Secretary. Clause 139, quite reasonably, authorises a local authority to take out insurance against personal accident not only to a member of the authority but to a member of a committee or sub-committee, even if not a member of the authority, provided he is engaged on business of the authority, but, rather surprisingly, nothing whatever is said about similar provision being made for officers of the authority when similarly engaged on business of the authority. I suggest, therefore, that it is desirable that the powers should be extended to enable an authority to cover also officers of the authority. I hope the Under-Secretary will agree.
§ Mr. SpeedI thank the hon. Gentleman for the Amendments, and agree with his sentiments, but I am advised that the Amendments are unnecessary since power to provide allowances to authorities' members of staff, injured, or who die, in the course of their duties, have been granted by Section 7 of the Superannuation Act, 1972. Regulations under that Section will be made later this year—I cannot say exactly when, but not too far ahead—to confer powers on local authorities to pay such allowances. The means by which they do so will be a matter for them. It will be open to an authority to provide allowances through insurance if it wishes. That will meet the point the hon. Gentleman has in mind.
§ Mr. Carol JohnsonIn view of that reply, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.