§ 59. Sir Robert Youngasked the Minister of Food if he will explain the process of valuing damage in claims against his Department; and if he is aware that in a claim for £40 on behalf of one of its members by Orford and District Allotment and Garden Association, the director, Meat and Livestock Division, offered £6 4s. in full settlement of the claim; that within three weeks a final offer of £10 in full satisfaction was made, and when it passed into legal hands a further offer of £14 was made; and if he will have the whole claim reviewed in order to show wherein the claim for £40 was excessive.
§ Sir B. SmithThe answer to the first part of the Question is that claims are investigated by my officers in the area where the damage occurred and their reports are considered at headquarters. The answer to the second part is "Yes, Sir." The answer to the third part is 411 that after a very careful and detailed estimate of the crops damaged, which showed the loss to be £13 17s. 8½d., an offer of £14 was made, and no further review is, in my opinion, necessary.
§ Sir R. YoungIs the Minister aware that £6 4s., having been offered in the first place, it rose from £10 to £14 and now £14 is equal to a penalty on the man for employing legal assistance?
§ Sir B. SmithHe has the right to go to the courts if he falls foul of any decision I have given, but on a 'fair assessment he was offered £14.
§ Sir R. YoungWill the Minister say that £6 4s. was a fair assessment in the first instance?
§ Sir B. SmithHaving regard to the event, I should have said "No."
§ Mr. BerryWill the Minister consider having an independent valuation of these cases seeing that Government values often seem to load the dice against the applicant?