Written Answers

Written Answers To Questions

Arp Centre, Downham Market

asked the Home Secretary (1) what steps were taken by the A.R.P. authority of the Norfolk County Council to ascertain the views of the local authorities and A.R.P. personnel before advising the Regional Commissioner to make alterations in the A.R.P. arrangements for Downham Market, which have worked smoothly up to date;(2) whether he is aware that the Eastern Regional Commissioner has issued an order to move the A.R.P. report centre in Downham Market from the place where it has functioned for four years to a building which the voluntary workers, upon whom the smooth working of the A.R.P. arrangements depend, regard as less suitable; and if he will suspend this action until an impartial investigation has been held?

Full inquiries were made both by the scheme-making authority and the Regional Commissioner as to the necessity of the changes before a decision was reached. I am satisfied that the decision was in accord both with local needs and the proper working of the Civil Defence Services. The accommodation at the existing control centre was quite unsatisfactory.

Trade And Commerce

Cinematograph Films (Conditional Renting)

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Hollywood renters are insisting that independent British exhibitors must take on extortionate percentage terms films that the renters arbitrarily grade A, before being permitted to book the more modest productions which experience shows often prove the more popular; whether such conditional selling is permitted in any other sphere of British commerce; and whether he can take any action to terminate this practice?

I am aware that film renting companies, both British and American, have required certain exhibitors, when booking cheaper films on what are known as flat rates, also to book films of better quality on what are known as percentage rates. The only restrictions on conditional sales of which I am aware are those contained in the provisions of Section 9 of the Goods and Services (Price Control) Act, 1941, and the Food (Conditions of Sale) Order, 1940 (S.R. & O. 1940, No. 2012). I am advised that these provisions do not extend to the hire of cinematograph films. I hope that the difficulty may be settled by mutual agreement between the parties concerned.

Surplus Textile Corporation, Ltd

asked the President of the Board of Trade the names of the directors of the Surplus Textile Corporation, Limited, and the purposes for which it now carries on business?

The following is the present membership of the council of the Surplus Textile Corporation, Ltd.:

Mr. W. S. Walters (Chairman).
Mr. F. T. Gale (Deputy Chairman).
Mr. H. Crampton (Treasurer).
Mr. T. M. Cogan.
Mr. F. Crowe.
Mr. J. T. Davis.
Lieut.-Colonel H. D. Lowe.
Mr. W. A. McPhail.
Mr. G. Mcakin.
Mr. J. H. M. Nicolson.
Mr. H. N. Philips.
Mr. S. Fownes Rigden.
Mr. P. D. Stirling.
Mr. H. Twinberrow.
Mr. S. G. Wilson.

In reply to the second part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 30th November to my hon. Friend the Member for East Willesden (Mr. Hammersley).

Agriculture

Wheat Acreage (Payments To Farmers)

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can make any statement regarding the breakdown of the arrangements of his Department to pay out to farmers the acreage wheat subsidy due to them; who is meantime gaining the advantage of the interest on this money; and what is the meaning of the leaflet recently issued by the Ministry to all those to whom money is now due and has been owing for nearly a year?

These acreage payments are made by the Ministry of Food as the agent of my Department. There is no breakdown in the arrangements; on the contrary, the work is carried out very efficiently and payments keep good pace with the applications received. If my hon. Friend will let me know the number or description of the leaflet referred to in the last part of his Question, I will write to him on the point.

Fat Sheep, Scotland

asked the Minister of Food what was the percentage of fat sheep sent to England from Scotland for slaughter during the months of August and September, 1943?

3.75 per cent. of the fat sheep purchased in Scotland were sent to England for slaughter in August and September, 1943.

Services Personnel (Insurance Policies)

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give any further information about the practice of insurance companies in meeting claims on policies issued before war became imminent on the lives of those members of the R.A.F. who are killed whilst flying on service?

I know of no case where a company has failed to meet its legal obligations. The only question is whether, and to what extent, the companies are willing to make payments which go beyond their strict obligations. Every company is, of course, free to determine its own policy, but the following statement represents the general practice of the companies so far as I have been able to ascertain it:

(a) Men who in peace-time were ordinary civilians and not subject to any special hazards have, in general, been getting full war cover. This is true even though they have subsequently joined the Royal Air Force for flying-duties and even though their policies, in terms, exonerated the company from war risk or aviation risk. This concession applies to the general run of life assurance policies but does not necessarily apply to certain special types of policies, e.g. where a very large sum is assured on a single life.

(b) Those who even in peace-time were subject to special risk (e.g. Service men and persons whose profession or hobby was flying) are only given full cover if their policies so provide; and no concession is made to anybody in this class who, with his eyes open, elected to take a cheaper policy which excluded war risk or aviation risk, or both. In special circumstances, some of the companies are, however, willing to make ex gratia payments usually amounting to less than the full sum assured. I am informed that the same general principles are applied by the companies to members of all three Fighting Services. The companies feel that the arrangements which they have made for dealing with these difficult cases are as generous as they can be without being unfair to the general body of their policy-holders and that it would not be reasonable to ask them to do more.

Transport (Hired Vehicles, Insurance)

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport why the insurance premium paid by the Government on transport vehicles under Ministry control is higher than was paid by private owners prior to control?

The fixed scale of premiums for the insurance of hired vehicles is related to the carrying capacity of the vehicle and to the cover to be given, and is in some cases higher, and in some lower, than that previously paid for comparable cover. I have no reason to suppose that the rates fixed give an average too high for the cover, but it was agreed with insurers that they should be adjusted, if necessary, after a period, in the light of experience.

Volume 395: debated on Friday 10 December 1943