§ Mr. Thurtleasked the President of the Board of Trade if in view of his inability to name a date for payment of war damage under the business scheme because of the general supply position, he will consider those cases where owners of destroyed business premises and plant are unable, owing to age and completely changed circumstances, to restart their operations and where, owing to lack of other resources, they need the war damage payment as capital upon which to live; and bear in mind that such persons having waited so long for payment are now naturally reluctant to make any hardship appeal which 44W would result in the sacrifice of their right to interest payment.
§ Sir S. CrippsSection 85 of the War Damage Act, 1943, enables the Board of Trade to make payments under the business scheme where the payment is necessary to avoid undue hardship, and my Department already consider and deal with applications made on the grounds mentioned by my hon. Friend. As the date of final payment of claims under the business scheme cannot yet be announced, interest will, in future, be allowed in the exceptional cases where a payment is made under that scheme on grounds of undue hardship.