HC Deb 16 November 1949 vol 469 cc2005-6
16. Mr. Walter Fletcher

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of recent recommendations of the Joint Select Committee of the Federation of Malaya and Singapore, he will now state when adequate payment will be made for equipment requisitioned in Malaya by or on behalf of the Royal Air Force and later destroyed in order to deny it to the enemy.

Mr. A. Henderson

I am advised that the Report of the Joint Select Committee has no direct bearing on the issues raised in the hon. Member's Question, the position on which is as follows. All claims for equipment requisitioned for use by or supplied to the Royal Air Force in Malaya have been or will be paid as soon as it has been possible to establish satisfactory proof of requisition or supply. This rule applies even where such equipment was later destroyed in order to deny it to the enemy. In the case of claims arising out of denial measures in the face of an advancing enemy, legal liability cannot be admitted by the Crown but they may be considered under the Malayan War Damage Compensation scheme. On this point I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies on 19th October last to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner).

Mr. Fletcher

Will the Minister bear in mind that it is 4½ years since these claims were put in, that the furnishing of evidence in a country that was overrun so rapidly is very often extremely difficult, and that the Government should not take unfair advantage in trying to shuffle out of these claims through such a lack of evidence?

Mr. Henderson

I can only speak for the attitude of my own Department, and I certainly do not consider that the hon. Gentleman's strictures apply to my Department.

Commander Noble

With regard to goods requistioned for denial, will the Minister say whether he has been able to make any arrangement for some sort of appeal, because it has been admitted that often there are two sides to these questions?

Mr. Henderson

That question should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Commander Noble

It has been.