§ 58. Mr. PRETYMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether the owners of premises which have been in military occupation during the War, and which are now being surrendered, are being compelled to accept a lump sum payment in lieu of re-conditioning, and, if so, whether the War Office will itself carry out the work for those owners who have no facilities for getting it done themselves?
Captain GUESTWhere the occupation is under an agreement, the Department follows the normal practice of offering a sum of money in satisfaction of its liabilities under the agreement. Where the occupation is under Defence of the Realm powers there is, of course, no legal liability to reinstate the premises, but, subject to the determination of the Defence of the Realm Losses Commission, the Department deals with the question of reinstatement in the same way as with agreement cases. The Department is not prepared to give a general undertaking to carry out the actual work of reinstatement.