asked the President of the Board of Trade whether insurances effected under the War Damage Act against air-raids include damage by looting during, or within a reasonable time after, such raids?

Damage or loss by looting is not covered by policies issued under the War Damage Act.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that his reply will cause widespread anxiety among the victims?

The policy is based on the declaration of the Prime Minister of 5th September, 1940, when this matter was first discussed. He laid down this as the general principle upon which we had to base our proposals:

"… unless the House was prepared to draw the distinction very sharply between war damage by bomb and shell and the other forms of loss which are incurred we could not attempt to deal with this matter."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 5th September, 1940; col. 42, Vol. 365.]