§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current practice by regional, island, and district authorities in Scotland in respect of insurance cover for fire, flood, wind or landslip damages to their properties, whether housing, commercial or any other type; and what guidance his Department gives to local authorities over whether they should insure or act as their own insurers, in view of the premium costs involved.
§ Mr. RifkindInsurance practice varies widely between authorities and the comprehensive information requested is not held centrally. The Department advised all local authorities in 1976 and 1978 that the question of insurance for local authority property against normally insurable losses is one for local authorities to decide, bearing in mind the possible implications for them of an absence of such insurance.
Detailed guidance about grant towards exceptional expenditure incurred as a result of the recent severe weather will be circulated shortly.