§ Mr. Grovesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the position of owners of property damaged by enemy action in 1940 whose claims received formal acknowledgment and nothing since, while the local authorities have executed first-aid repairs but have not restored the property to its pre-raid condition; and whether the property will now be renovated, in view of the deterioration owing to lack of thorough repairs?
§ Sir K. WoodThe extent of repairs (either first-aid or more permanent repairs) carried out by local authorities to damaged houses, for which the appropriate payment is cost of works, depends on circumstances, the extent of the damage and the availability of labour and materials. Where these repairs are insufficient to render the houses habitable, it is always open to the owner to arrange with his own builder to do the further repairs required and to submit a claim to the War Damage Commission on completion of the work. If the work is likely to cost £100 or over, a licence from the Ministry of Works is necessary. Complete reinstatement necessitating extensive repairs may not be practicable at present in view of the shortage of labour and materials.