Amendment made: In page 45, line 27, after "any," insert "business or."—[Captain Crookshank.]

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food (Major Lloyd George):

I beg to move, in page 45, line 36, at the beginning, to insert "the Board of Trade may direct that."

This and the three Amendments which follow it on the Paper deal with the scheme specified in paragraph (a) of Clause 63 (1) affecting goods declared by Order to be voluntarily insurable, and schemes dealing with private concerns suffering otherwise than from war damage and goods declared to be uninsurable under the business scheme. The Board of Trade may exercise control over these schemes.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made:

In page 45, line 37, after "any," insert "business or."

In line 37, after "scheme," insert: specified in the direction of which the primary purpose is the provision of indemnification against losses arising otherwise than by reason of war damage to land or goods, or.

In line 39, after "under," insert "subsection (1C) of."

In line 40, at the end, insert: or as respects goods which by virtue of an order of the Board under paragraph (b) or paragraph (c) of the proviso to subsection (1) of section forty-five of this Act are not compulsorily insurable under the business scheme operated under Part II of this Act.

In line 41, at the end, insert "business or."

In page 46, line 15, after "any," insert "business or."

In line 20, after the second "the," insert "business or."

In line 31, after "person," insert "on or."—[Major Lloyd George.]

Motion made and Question proposed: "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill."

I would like some guidance here on a matter concerning this Clause in so far as it affects the mining industry. I am informed by those who should know that, as the Bill now stands, the mineral underground will be considered in deciding the amount of payment. I do not know whether the Financial Secretary feels that this is not the time to raise the matter.

This Clause deals with mutual insurance.

Yes, but I understand that you are taking powers by which certain articles may be exempted. In so far as that is so, I was wondering whether now is the time to raise this issue. We feel that the mineral underground is never likely to be interfered with by enemy action.

This Clause deals with mutual insurance, and has nothing in the world to do with the point which the hon. Member has in mind.

I do not know the position of people who are already insured against war damage with the Farmers' Mutual Insurance scheme.

Major Lloyd George:

This Clause, if the hon. and gallant Gentleman will look at it, says: Subject to the provisions of this section, no person shall, … take part in the promoting or carrying on of any scheme.

Brigadier-General Brown:

That means that the Farmers' Union scheme will be knocked on the head?

Major Lloyd George:

It will affect all the mutual insurance schemes, with certain exceptions.

Brigadier-General Brown:

What would by the position of the people insured with the mutual insurance schemes?

Major Lloyd George:

On the winding up of those schemes the money will be distributed.

Question, "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill," put, and agreed to.