HC Deb 22 July 1958 vol 592 cc199-200
13. Miss Vickers

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the War Damage Commission payment of £265 15s. 3d. was approved in respect of No. 66, King Street, Plymouth, in 1948, in view of the fact that the result was a dwelling unfit for human habitation.

Mr. Amory

The provisions of the War Damage Act, 1943, require the War Damage Commission to meet the cost of war damage repairs carried out under proper authority to all properties where the war damage did not involve total loss.

Miss Vickers

Does my right hon. Friend not think this very unfair, because the owner, thinking that he would be able to let this property, had already spent extra money on it, and now the house has been compulsorily acquired and pulled down by the local authority? Does not my right hon. Friend think it is a total waste of money?

Mr. Amory

I think my hon. Friend will agree that is not really relevant to the responsibilities of the War Damage Commission, which are limited to making good the repairs caused by war damage and putting the property into the same state of repair as it was before.