HC Deb 05 June 1945 vol 411 cc703-4W
Captain Gammans

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his estimate of £1,000,000,000 damage to house property due to enemy action includes claims under Part II of the War Damage Act; and if he is in a postion to give an estimate of the expenditure incurred or likely to be incurred by local authorities in repairing dilapidated properties which, but for the war emergency, would probably have been scheduled for demolition.

Sir J. Anderson

I think my hon. and gallant Friend is under some misapprehension. I was careful to state that the figure of £1,000,000,000 which I gave to the House on 9th May was not an estimate but a figure which it would be safe to say the total damage would exceed. It covered damage not merely to houses and their contents, but to all classes of property, including goods of the kind insurable under the three main schemes. No figures are available as to the extent of the expenditure mentioned in the latter part of the Question.

Captain Gammans

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to be able to issue a comprehensive statement on the operations of the War Damage Act.

Sir J. Anderson

I do not recollect having been asked for such a statement before, but I will bear my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion in mind. In the meantime the War Damage Act, 1943, provides for the laying before Parliament of annual statements of receipts and payments.

Mr. Brooke

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an assurance that when the time comes for extensively damaged buildings qualifying for a cost-of-works payment to be repaired, the War Damage Commission will make payments on account as the work proceeds, seeing that otherwise the owner may be unable to satisfy the builder's legitimate insistence on progress payments.

Sir J. Anderson

Payments on account arid instalment payments are already provided for in these cases. Details will be found in Section VI of the War Damage Commission pamphlet ROD.I, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. As there pointed out, more favourable arrangements are possible where the Commission have been consulted in advance of the works.