§ 15. Mr. Nabarroasked the President of the Board of Trade the number of claims under the War Damage Act Insurance Scheme, Part II, Business Scheme and Private Chattels, which remain unpaid at the latest convenient date; whether all such claims have now been assessed; what is the total value of the assessments made in respect of such unpaid claims; and whether, in view of many cases of individual hardship, he is taking steps to secure early payment of all such claims.
§ Sir H. ShawcrossOn 30th June, 1951, there remained unpaid, in whole or in part, 34,767 claims under the Business Scheme. Of these 34,217 have been assessed for an aggregate amount of £35,960,000 which remains deferred. The remaining 550 claims are for the most part belated claims. All claims under the Private Chattels Scheme except a few belated claims have been assessed and paid.
Any cases of individual hardship which are referred to my Department are sympathetically dealt with but, as regards the general payment of deferred claims, I can only say that the Treasury have not yet made the regulations which would permit general payments to be made under the Business Scheme.
§ Mrs. MiddletonCan my right hon. and learned Friend say how many claims have been made under the hardship scheme and what proportion have been rejected?
§ Sir H. ShawcrossNo, Sir. I cannot answer that question without notice.
§ Sir H. WilliamsAs one who happens to be a director of an insurance company, may I ask what the right hon. and learned 624 Gentleman would do with an insurance company which defaulted in this appalling way?