Oral Answers to Questions — Transport. – in the House of Commons at on 6 March 1935.
Mr John Burnett
, Aberdeen North
asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps so to amend the regulations with regard to the insurance of motorists against third-party risks that insurance companies in a, state of insolvency are debarred from continuing to accept premiums?
Mr Leslie Hore-Belisha
, Plymouth, Devonport
Immediately the court orders an insurance company to be wound up on grounds of insolvency, it becomes unlawful for the company to accept premiums. I have no power by regulation to alter the statutory provisions as to authorised insurers, but I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade, on 19th February to the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Rhys Davies) of which I am sending him a copy.
Mr William Thorne
, West Ham Plaistow
Does the hon. Member not think that the remedy for this defect is for the Government themselves to set up an insurance scheme?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
