§ 52. Mr. A. Edwardsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that many people are selling war damaged property at prices below the value prior to the damage under the impression that they will receive in addition compensation from the War Damage Commission; and whether he will make it clear whether the present owner or the owner at the time of the damage is entitled to the compensation?
§ Sir K. WoodI would draw my hon. Friend's attention to Section 9 of the War Damage Act, 1941, which provides that a payment of cost of works is payable to the person by whom the cost is incurred. A value payment, or share of such payment, is payable to the owner or owners of proprietary interests which were subsisting in the property immediately before the occurrence of the war damage. The position is made clear in a pamphlet issued by the War Damage Commission and made available to claimants free of charge with the form on which war damage is notified. I am sending to my hon. Friend a copy of this pamphlet.