§ 68. Mr. William Brownasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will direct requisitioning authorities so to interpret the recent ruling of the Treasury that requisitioning authorities may make allowances to owners for fair wear and tear; that they are on surrender to make such allowances, proportionate to the time of occupation, for outside painting and other usual outside maintenance of requisitioned properties, if such work has not been carried out by the requisitioning authority during the occupation in accordance with the authority's liability under Section 2 (1) (a) of the Compensation Defence Act, 1939.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Anderson)The ruling in question is to the effect that where the compensation under Section 2 (1) (a) of the Act has been strictly based upon the rent which might be expected to be paid by a tenant who was responsible for the repair of fair wear and tear, no deduction in respect of the cost of such repairs need be made when a claim for reinstatement under Section 2 (1) (b) is settled. Where the rent 381 has been fixed upon the contrary assumption and at a higher level, the point does not arise. I am advised that Departments are applying the ruling, and will continue to do so, with fairness, in relation to the differing circumstances of different cases.