Colonel A. Evansasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any steps are being taken or will be taken to provide for the insurance of commodities in the Colonial Empire against the risk of damage by enemy action?
§ Mr. George HallYes, Sir. Compulsory schemes following generally the lines of the commodity insurance scheme established under the War Risks Insurance Act, 1939, are under consideration in those parts of the Colonial Empire which are more or less liable to attack, and in Kenya and Uganda such a scheme is actually in operation now. The schemes will be administered by the Dependencies themselves; it is evident, however, that in most cases a Dependency would not be in a position to meet from its own resources an unlimited liability to make up a deficit on such a scheme and it is proposed in the near future to introduce legislation to empower the Treasury to guarantee any schemes in the Colonial Empire, on such conditions as may be approved by the Treasury and subject to 1101W the approval of details by the Board of Trade. If that legislation is passed, the Kenya and Uganda scheme will be guaranteed under it.