§ Mr. McKinlayasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why an instruction has been issued to suspend assessment of 1876W claims by persons whose homes and furniture have been destroyed because of enemy action on Clydeside; and if it is the intention of assessors to base their assessment at a sum considerably less than the value of any insurance policy a claimant may have had covering his property in peace time?
§ Captain CrookshankI presume that my hon. Friend has in mind valuations of war damage to furniture and other personal effects. As regards the first part of his Question, valuation was recently suspended for a short time while arrangements were being made to give effect to the provisions of the War Damage Act, 1941, but has since been resumed. With regard to the second part of the Question, it is a duty of valuers to assess the value of the goods at the time of the loss on a fair basis, which should take into account all relevant factors, including not only depreciation but also any rise in the price level. A valuer would not overlook any guidance which might be obtained from a peace-time fire insurance policy.