30. Colonel Sir C. BURNasked the President of the Board of Trade when there is any likelihood of compensation being received by those fishermen whose boats where sunk by enemy action during the great War; and is he aware that great distress prevails at Brixham, which is dependent on the fishing industry, and that claims have been sent in to the Reparation Department without even an acknowledgment being received by the senders?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEThe answer is rather long, and, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Until recently, the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action have been engaged in consideration of claims iii respect of loss of life, injury to health, maltreatment during internment, and loss of personal effects at sea, in respect of which their first Report has recently been published. The Commission are now proceeding with the consideration of claims in respect of loss of, or damage to, property. including claims in respect of fishing boats. The property claims are very numerous and complex, and their investigation must take some further time. It will not be possible to make any payments of compensation in respect of property until the Commission have presented their report upon them. I understand that some distress exists at Brixham. Since the publication of the first Report of the Commission, the Reparation Claims Department. has been receiving as many as 1,000 letters a day from claimants, and the staff of that Department have found it impossible to deal promptly with all of them.