§ 61. Major Conantasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the choice which the War Damage Commission at present has to award to a bombed-out property owner, either a value payment based on 1939 values or a cost of works payment based on present day replacement costs and of the difference between building costs in 1939 and at the present time, he will consider making all the war damage payments costs of works payments, so as to make it fairer to all concerned, especially in view of the statement of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer to the effect that if a considerable alteration in values took place the matter would be reconsidered.
§ Sir J. AndersonNo, Sir. It has from the outset been a fundamental principle of the War Damage Acts to draw a distinction between the cases in which a value payment is appropriate and those which according to the tests laid down are worth reinstating and therefore 628 qualify for a cost of works payment. The Commission are required under Section 11 of the Act of 1943, at the appropriate time, namely when the discharge of value payments generally or in substantial volume has become permissible, to make a report to the Treasury if it appears to them that having regard to any circumstances arising since the passing of the War Damage Act, 1941, the amounts of value payments on the basis laid down are inadequate.