56. Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, owing to the shortage of labour, householders are experiencing great difficulty and delay in formulating cost-of-works claims; and whether, under these circumstances, there is any limitation on the period of time in which such claims can be formulated?
§ Sir K. WoodA claimant is not, of course, in a position to prepare his claim for a cost-of-works payment until he has received from his builder an account for the work. I am informed that the Commission is not aware that builders in general are unduly slow in furnishing their accounts to claimants, but in any case it is the Commission's normal practice to accept without question a cost-of-works claim at any time within 30 days of the receipt by the claimant of the builder's account and to use their discretion when that period is exceeded.