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President of India v La Pintada Compagnia Navigacia SA (‘La Pintada’): HL 1985

References: [1985] AC 104
Coram: Lord Brandon, Lord Bridge
The house decided against altering the rule in Page -v- Newman. ‘The common law does not award general damages for delay in payment of a debt beyond the date when it is contractually due’ The power given to the court under s 35A is discretionary. It does not have the character of a substantive right. (Brandon) A judge ‘ . . already has a statutory remedy. What is more, the new cause of action [argued for] . . would constitute a remedy as of right for a creditor whereas the statutory remedy would remain discretionary only. There would accordingly exist . . two parallel remedies, one as of right and the other discretionary. It is, in my view, plainly to be inferred, from the form of the relevant provisions of the Acts of 1934 and 1982 that Parliament has consistently regarded the award of interest on debts as a remedy to which creditors should not be entitled as of right, but only as a matter of discretion. That being the manifest policy of the legislature, I do not consider that your Lordships should create . . a rival system of remedies, which because they would be remedies as of right, would be inconsistent with that manifest policy.’
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Last Update: 16-Dec-15 Ref: 185178

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