§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the total amount of money paid out by his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available on interest payments on land compensation claims; and how much each annual amount represents as an average of the total claims settled in each of those five years.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe information is as follows:
Year Compensation (£ Thousands) Interest (£ Thousands) Interest as Percentage 1977–78 19,080 4,099 21.5 1978–79 20,147 4,004 19.9 1979–80 23,388 4,734 20.2 1980–81 28,588 6,014 21.0 1981–82 24,461 4,778 19.5
§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many claims made under the Land Compensation Acts 1961 and 1973 which were settled in the last two years for which figures are available took, respectively (a) less than one year, (b) one to two years, (c) two to three years, (d) three to four years, (e) four to five years and (f) more than five years to settle from the time of the date of entry to the claimant's receipt of final payment.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI regret that this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many claimants under the Land Compensation Acts 1961 and 1973, during the years 1976 to 1981, received payments of interest on their claims prior to the completion of the sale of their land; and under what legislative provisions such payments were made.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIt is not the Department's practice to make advance payments on account of interest on compensation for the compulsory purchase of land. Where entry is taken under section 11 of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965, interest is payable from the time of entry until the time the compensation is paid. The compensation, or the outstanding balance where payment on account has been claimed under section 52 of the Land Compensation Act 1973, and the interest are both payable when the land is transferred.