§ 47. Mrs. Leah Manningasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will agree to payments being made by the War Damage Commission in respect of late applications, where notification had been previously made to the war damage department of the local authority and accepted by the authority as a bona fide notification.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir Stafford Cripps)This is a matter which, by virtue of the proviso to Subsection (2) of Section 31 of the War Damage Act, Parliament has entrusted to the discretion of the War Damage Commission itself, who have exercised it with commendable care.
§ Mrs. ManningDoes not my right hon. and learned Friend realise that the reluctance on the part of the War Damage Committee to pay grants already accepted by local authorities bears very hardly on persons of moderate means? Cannot he intervene in that matter?
§ Sir S. CrippsNo, I am afraid Parliament has left it to their discretion, and. I cannot intervene.
§ Captain CrookshankDoes "con-mendable care" mean that they have made no payments at all?
§ Sir S. CrippsNo, certainly not. They have made a good many payments.
§ Mrs. MiddletonIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that quite a number of people have notified war damage claims to local authorities, and not to the War Damage Commission, and are now finding that they are not entitled to compensation because their notification has gone to the wrong address?
§ Sir S. CrippsI am quite aware that that has happened in some cases, but the position remains as I have stated.
§ Commander MaitlandWill the right hon. and learned Gentleman give particular attention to cases where the original occupants have died, and there have been considerable difficulties in establishing the claims?
§ Sir S. CrippsI am sure the War Damage Commission will do so.