Mr. R. Duckworthasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it is proposed to make any statement on the need or otherwise for further war damage contributions from the public after the conclusion of the current five years period.
§ Sir J. AndersonI would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given on 5th October and 26th September to my hon. Friends the Members for Bournemouth (Sir L. Lyle) and Tamworth (Sir J. Mellor) respectively. I cannot take a decision on this matter until I know more clearly than is at present possible what the total cost of Part I of the War Damage Act is likely to be.
§ Mr. Turtonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, when payment of compensation under the War Damage Act is being considered, he will give priority of payment to those claimants in respect of property destroyed by enemy action in the first two years of the war.
§ Sir J. AndersonCost of works payments are made as and when the relevant properties are repaired, and I assume, therefore, that my hon. Friend has in mind the release of value payments. I have taken note of his suggestion, but if any system of priorities were found to be desirable I should expect that other considerations of perhaps even greater importance might arise.