§ 15 and 56. Mr. HARMSWORTH(1) asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give figures showing the total numbers of ordinary and of belated claims presented to the late Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action and to the Reparation Claims Department, indicating separately the numbers of successful and unsuccessful claims and the numbers of ordinary and belated claims still under consideration;
(2) asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give figures showing the total amounts claimed and paid in respect of ordinary and belated claims for compensation for suffering and damage due to enemy action against civilians during the late War?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER65,644 claims were presented for consideration by the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action against the £5,000,000 compensation fund, 45,382 of which were successful, 20,251 unsuccessful and 11 are still under consideration. 29,751 claims have been presented for consideration against the £300,000 fund for belated claimants, of which 24,934 have been successful and 4,285 unsuccessful, leaving 532 still under consideration. In addition, there are some 2,000 cases in which forms have been issued, but not yet returned completed. The total amount of compensations paid out of the £5,000,000 compensation fund is £4,585,539, and out of the £300,000 fund £280,152 5s. 8d. It is not possible to state, even approximately, the total of the amounts claimed since, in a very large number of cases, no amount is specified.
58. Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how soon the undistributed balance of £443,394, allocated by the Government for the benefit of those who sustained damage by enemy action will be paid out; is it anticipated there will be any surplus; and, if so, how will it be disposed of?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe payment of awards recommended by the Sumner Commission and of grants to belated claimants will be completed as soon as possible. The delay has been due to the difficulty in certain cases in obtaining from claimants the return of forms sent out to them or answers to inquiries addressed to them, and it is not possible to state by what date payments will be finally completed or what, if any, the saving on the original grant will be.
Mr. THOMSONWill the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking to the House that under no circumstances will any of this sum be raided by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the general purposes of the State, but that it will be devoted to claimants?
§ Mr. McNEILLI cannot say what course will be adopted in the next financial year.
Mr. THOMSONWill the right hon. Gentleman give me an answer to my question? Will he give an undertaking that none of this money which has been voted, and is at the present time unexpended, will be raided by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for general purposes?
§ Mr. McNEILLThat question had better be put to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.