§ Captain Pluggeasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the heavy additional work thrown on valuers of enemy damage by the elaborate procedure of the War Damage Commission, he will consider the possibility and desirability of reducing it?
§ Captain CrookshankThe War Damage Commission aims at the utmost simplicity in its procedure compatible with carrying out the provisions of the War Damage Act, and I am not aware of any ground for the hon. Member's suggestion. If he has any specific complaints as to additional work thrown on valuers, I will look into them.
§ Captain Pluggeasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) how many claims from Kent for war damage under the War Damage Act have been presented and are still under consideration but not hitherto met;
(2) how many claims from Kent for war damage payments under the War Damage Act have been actually met at the present time; and what is the aggregate sum paid out?
§ Captain CrookshankNo separate statistics are available for claims from Kent. In any case I should not regard it as in the public interest to give this information.
Mr. Rostron Duckworthasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many claims for property damage prior to the passing of the War Damage Act have already been paid; and how many are still under consideration?
1263W
§ Captain CrookshankThe War Damage Commission statistics do not classify payments according to the date of the damage to which they relate. In any case, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer intimated in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for South Croydon (Sir H. Williams) on 10th July, it is not considered to be in the public interest to give information of this kind.