§ 34. Mr. Bellengerasked the Minister of Health what arrangements are being made for the supervision of builders' accounts in respect of work carried out on the orders of local authorities in connection with the repair of house property damaged by enemy air action?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Miss Horsbrugh)Full provision for the supervision of builders' accounts is included in the form of contract recommended to local authorities for use in connection with first-aid repairs, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. Permanent repairs are normally carried out by competitive tender and the arrangements for supervision would be those usual in such cases.
§ Mr. BellengerWill an opportunity be given to the owners of such properties to see the bill which the contractor sends in and which presumably is paid by the local authority, as I understand this is to be debited as a charge on the property to be recovered at the end of the war?
§ Miss HorsbrughI should like to have notice of that question.
§ Brig.-General Clifton BrownIs the hon. Lady aware that some of the assessments in the case of damaged property in some parts of the country are monstrous, and that the local authorities 1973 should be checked, if they cannot do the checking themselves?