§ Sir R. Gowerasked the President of the Board of Trade how quickly claims made under Part II of the War Damage Act, 1941, in respect of business equipment worth £1,000 or less are being dealt with; and what should be the maximum time of any delay?
§ Captain WaterhousePayment of claims arising under the business scheme will be deferred until after the war unless the Board of Trade are satisfied that the repair or replacement of the goods is expedient in the public interest or unless the claim does not exceed £100. My right hon. Friend has given instructions that the claims in these categories shall be dealt with as speedily as possible but the time taken must obviously depend on the circumstances of each case. I can however assure my hon. Friend that the Board of Trade are very much alive to the 1223W importance of expediting settlement in every possible way and to secure this object they have, with the co-operation of the insurance companies and Lloyds, strengthened and decentralised the claims organisation by creating a large additional number of insurance districts.