§ 35. Mr. Marloweasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, when advance payments were made to claimants under the War Damage Act, 1943, Part II. Private Chattels Scheme, 1324 they were promised, in Deferment Letter A, that any balance would normally be deferred until after the war and would carry interest at 2½ per cent. per annum from date of damage to date of payment; and why payment of such interest has been avoided by fixing July, 1947, as the date for general payment and so treating payments now being made as advance payments not entitled to carry interest instead of as deferred payments made after the war hearing interest.
§ Sir S. CrippsThis matter is governed by provisions of the War Damage Act, under which interest is payable only on that portion of a payment which is deferred until the time to be specified in Treasury Regulations. For private chattels payments this time will be July, 1947, and interest is not payable on advances made before then. There has been no change in this respect though for greater clarity the rather indefinite phrase "until after the war" in Deferment Letter A, to which the hon. Member refers, was after VE-Day replaced by the more precise phrase "to a date to be specified in Treasury Regulations."
§ Mr. MarloweDoes the right hon. and learned Gentleman not agree that thousands of people received in 1942 and 1943 what was in fact a promise from the Board of Trade that these payments, made after the war, would carry interest; and is it not now after the war; and, in those circumstances, will he reconsider what really amounts to a repudiation and breach of faith?
§ Sir S. CrippsNo such promise was ever given; it could not be in accordance with the provisions of the War Damage Act itself.