HC Deb 19 October 1943 vol 392 cc1206-8
39. Major-General Sir Alfred Knox

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to the result of the Red Cross conference which has lately taken place in America, with a view to making arrangements for the sending of parcels to prisoners of war in Japanese hands?

Sir J. Grigg

As the reply is rather long, I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Sir A. Knox

In view of the anxiety of relatives of prisoners of war in the Far East, will the right hon. Gentleman consider whether he or some other competent person could give a broadcast, telling exactly the conditions under which these prisoners are living?

Sir J. Grigg

I think there is a Question down on the subject. I will certainly consider my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.

Following is the reply:

In response to cordial and welcome invitations from the American and Canadian Red Crosses, the War Organisation of the British Red Cross sent a delegation, headed by the Deputy-Chairman of the Organisation, Sir Ernest Burdon, and including the Deputy-Chairman of their Prisoner of War Department, Air. J. M. Eddy, which arrived in the United States early in September. The delegation proceeded almost at once to Canada for consultations with the Canadian Red Cross and Government Departments concerned with relief measures for prisoners of war. They then returned to the United States, and were followed shortly after by a delegation from the Canadian Red Cross, and a full conference of the representatives of the three Red Cross Organisations met in Washington on 20th September. Its purpose was: (i) to pool all information from all available sources; and (ii) to consider ways and means of bringing badly needed relief to prisoners of the United Nations in the Far East, and to co-ordinate action to this end.

I am informed that the conference revealed an earnest desire on the part of all to co-operate in every way possible; but effective results will depend on the Japanese Government making available such facilities as are necessary to enable relief stores to be sent into Japanese controlled waters, and distributed to the areas in which prisoners are held by them. I am happy to say that the Soviet Government has been so good as to receive and provide storage, for the present, in Vladivostok for 1,500 tons of relief supplies a month, and these will be carried across the Pacific in Soviet ships. Though the Japanese Government have agreed in principle to accept supplies via the Soviet Union, they have not yet disclosed by what means they would propose that they should be conveyed from the Soviet Union into Japanese-controlled territories, and distributed there. Every effort is being made continuously through the Protecting Power and International Red Cross Committee to obtain, and indeed assist, in providing an assured solution of these practical problems. Immediately the willingness of the Soviet to carry and store supplies was known, the conference in Washington confirmed arrangements for the first month's shipments and laid plans for those for future months. I am informed that there was complete unanimity in these decisions, and that all supplies being sent by this route will be available for all prisoners from the United Nations in the Far East. In all these activities the War Organisation of the British Red Cross is receiving the full support and, wherever needed, assistance of his Majesty's Government; and the British Red Cross Society has been authorised by the other Red Cross Societies in the British Commonwealth to act on their behalf in these matters in the consultations at Washington. The British delegation is remaining in America and is continuing joint consultations on the building up and carrying out of effective and co-ordinated plans.