49. Lieut.-Colonel Dowerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the hardship caused by the delay in making payments of war damage value payment claims on houses destroyed by enemy action, he will authorise the interest upon such payments, as provided by the War Damage Acts, to be paid without further delay.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Dalton)Section 10 (5) of the War Damage Act, 1943, provides that interest on a value payment shall be payable when that payment is discharged. There is no power under the Act to authorise an earlier payment.
Lieut.-Colonel DowerIs the Minister aware that people who have lost their houses will have to wait for many years, and that a small contribution from him would be welcome?
§ Mr. DaltonYes, but the law does not permit that and we have a lot of amendments to the law to make which are more important than this.
§ Mr. JannerWould the right hon. Gentleman consider, when dealing with these amendments, the difficulties that arise when a person has mortgaged his house and has to pay a larger interest in respect of the mortgage than that which is allowed under the war damage scheme?
§ Mr. DaltonI shall be glad to keep the matter under review but it is difficult, under the present law, to do what hon. Members wish.
50 . Lieut.-Colonel Dowerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, where building materials forming part of war damaged houses are looted through delay in granting licences to carry out the necessary first-aid repairs, such loss may be included in war damage claims.
§ Mr. DaltonNo, Sir.
§ 55. Mr. Berryasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to introduce the Bill, promised by his predecessor, Kingsley Wood, dealing with war damage contributions from public utility undertakings.
§ Mr. DaltonNot at present. I am trying to simplify this Bill now that the risk of further war damage has disappeared.