§ 39. Mr. LESLIE SCOTTasked the Prime Minister whether the figures given on page ii of the Memorandum attached to the Indemnity Bill are based on any written estimates or particulars; and whether such estimates or particulars can be circulated or information given to the House in the form of a White Paper, analysing all the figures mentioned in the Memorandum and explaining the data on which the detailed figures are founded, and in particular showing what proportion of the sum of £300,000,000 to £400,000,000 stated as payable in respect of British shipping would be incurred in respect of the requisition of ships and cargo-space for hire, what proportion in respect of requisition for purchase, what proportion under any other and what heads of claim, and sub-dividing the remainder of the £700,000,000 so as to give the House an opportunity of considering the real character of the various legal rights which the Bill proposes to modify or extinguish before the Second Reading Debate comes on?
§ Mr. SHORTTFrom the nature of the case it is impossible to give a detailed estimate of the extra cost which would be payable if requisitioned property had to be paid for at market values, but the figures given were estimated by the Departments concerned on the best evidence available. As regards shipping, it is estimated that the extra cost arising out of the requisitioning of the ships and cargo space for hire would amount to £350,000,000, while additional compensation for requisitioned ships sunk by war risks when under requisition would amount to about £28,000,000.