§ Mr. Nealeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what procedure is adopted by the Property Services Agency to investigate, assess, administer and settle claims arising from damage caused by crashed aircraft of the Royal Air Force; and whether this procedure was followed in the case of the Tintagel air crash on 6 July 1979; and, if not, how it differed.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe Property Services Agency's estate surveyors are responsible on behalf of the Claims Commission for investigating damage to civilian property from military aircraft crashes that are notified by the Services authority concerned. The local estate surveyor makes a general assessment of the extent of the damage and then advises those affected on how to lodge claims. Subsequently he examines detailed claims including those arising from salvage or inspection. He records all claims and manages the process through to final settlement. Estate surveyors settle individual claims up to £500 but seek financial authority for those over 533W this amount from the Claims Commission.
These procedures were followed in the case of Tintagel except that the Claims Commission to avoid delays in the initial stages gave authority to estate surveyors for bills to be met as they arose up to a maximum of 75 per cent. of the estimated cost of repair in each case where there was no dispute.