66. Mr. Patonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that a sum of nearly£4,000 has been owing to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, on account of war damage costs, since August, 1944; that some of the contractors who carried out the repairs are in difficulties because of the delay in the settlement of their accounts and that repeated requests by the hospital board of management to the War Damage Commission and the Ministry of Health have failed to obtain a settlement; and if he will instruct the War Damage Commission to pay more quickly.
§ Mr. DaltonI have asked the War Damage Commission to inquire into this case.
Mr. PatonMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to treat this as a matter of urgency, in view of the long period, since August, 1944, during which this fairly large amount has been outstanding; as it is a considerable embarrassment to the hospital to be unable to settle its own debts which are owing to contractors.
§ Mr. DaltonI will ask them to look into it.
67. Mr. Patonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the long delays by the War Damage Commission, Eastern Region, in settling the bills of building contractors engaged on repairs to bomb-damaged houses in Norwich; that some of these contractors have been more than three months without any payment and are experiencing difficulty in meeting their own financial responsibilities thereby; and will he now take steps to expedite payments.
§ Mr. DaltonNo, Sir. Claims from the Eastern Region are paid, on the average, within four weeks of receipt, and substantial payments on account are made on larger claims, which take longer to settle.
Mr. PatonMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that the information I have collected on the spot is 2327 directly contrary to his statement, that local contractors assure me that they have been paying out on accounts for three parts of the time, and they are now objecting—
§ Sir Ronald RossIs it in Order to accuse the Chancellor of the Exchequer of giving false information?