HC Deb 04 October 1944 vol 403 cc927-8
32. Miss Ward

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the names of the members of the representative committee who are dealing with problems arising out of prisoners of war and civilian internees from Malaya and Hong Kong and the type of problems being dealt with.

38. Major Sir Jocelyn Lucas

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the names and qualifications of the members of the representative committee considering problems of the Malaya and Hong Kong prisoners of war and internees.

Colonel Stanley

As the reply is necessarily long and detailed, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Miss Ward

Is it a permanent Committee, with terms of reference and a chairman?

Colonel Stanley

Yes, it has a chairman and members and an agenda.

Following is the statement:

The Chairman of the Conference is the Assistant Under-Secretary of State in the Colonial Office who is concerned with Far Eastern matters. The members comprise representatives of the Foreign Office, War Office and Ministry of Health in addition to the following:

Mr. H. D. Aplin (Sarawak Government Agent); Mr. C. F. C. Macaskie (British North Borneo (Chartered) Company); Mr. H. B. Egmont Hake (Association of British Malaya); Mr. G. E. Cator (Far Eastern Relief Committee); Mr. C. H. B. Joly (China Association); Miss E. D. C. Wolfe (Victorian Diocesan Association, Hong Kong and South China); Miss S. J. Warner (British Red Cross War Organisation).

Other experts are brought into consultation on particular subjects.

The problems being studied include the welfare and medical care of repatriated ex-prisoners of war and civilian internees; financial assistance in cases of need; reunion of families. I should perhaps make it clear that this Colonial Office Conference is concerned only with (a) members of the local volunteer forces who are prisoners of war and (b) with civilian internees who were resident in Hong Kong, Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak.