HC Deb 14 October 1941 vol 374 cc1244-5
50. Mr. Maxton

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that long delays frequently occur in the payment of small amounts due by various State Departments to private individuals of limited resources; and whether he will take steps to improve and speed up the procedure in these cases?

Sir K. Wood

Every effort is made by Government Departments to avoid delay in making payments of the kind to which my hon. Friend refers. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind and will let me have the details, I will gladly have it investigated by the appropriate Department.

Mr. Maxton

I have hundreds of cases in mind, but I want the Chancellor to inquire not into the particular cases but into the whole system. Can he not devise some system by which a. person who has a claim upon the War Office or the Ministry of Health receives the money inside a month and does not have to wait for six months or a year?

Sir K. Wood

I could not accept the suggestion made by the hon. Gentleman. If he has hundreds of cases, perhaps he would send some of them to me so that I can have them examined.

Sir H. Williams

Can we have an assurance from the right hon. Gentleman that if any of us write to him or any other Minister we shall have an answer within a fortnight?

Mr. Maxton

Does the Minister not think it wrong that a housewife has to wait six months for payment of billeting allowances?

Sir K. Wood

I shall be glad to have particulars of such cases.