§ Mr. Stokesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount paid out in war damage up to any recent convenient date; and the amount collected in premiums to the same date since the outbreak of war?
§ Sir K. WoodNo, Sir. As has previously been explained to the House, it would not be in the public interest to disclose the figures relating to the business scheme; and as figures for the payments and contributions in respect of land and buildings and for the payments and receipts under the private chattels scheme are from time to time published, the disclosure of totals for the War Damage Acts as a whole, would enable the figures it has been found desirable to withhold to be deduced.
§ Mr. Moelwyn Hughesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the statement by 1405W the chairman of the War Damage Commission that advances of value payments were only made where the work was not contrary to the public interest on town and country planning considerations; what town and country plans are referred to and how they are ascertained?
§ Sir K. WoodSection 7 (1) of the War Damage Act, 1941, empowers the Treasury to give directions to be observed by the War Damage Commission for securing that the payments in respect of war damage made by the Commission shall be in conformity with the public interest as respects, among other matters, town and country planning. The Commission cannot pay any immediate value payments where such a payment would conflict with any direction under Section 7 which was in force at the time of the payment. The town and country planning considerations mentioned by the chairman of the Commission are ascertained by reference to any such directions which are from time to time given by the Treasury.