HC Deb 26 November 1956 vol 561 cc28-9
67. Mr. J. Howard

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance when the further payment will be made to Far Eastern prisoners of war from Japanese assets.

71. Sir J. Smyth

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is now in a position to make a statement about the distribution of the proceeds of the Japanese assets held by the International Committee of the Red Cross under Article 16 of the Peace Treaty with Japan; and what is the position about the balance of assets available under Article 14 of the Treaty.

The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)

I will, with permission, answer Questions Nos. 67 and 71.

It is expected that the whole of the United Kingdom's share of the assets under Article 16 of the Peace Treaty with Japan will be received from the International Committee of the Red Cross very shortly. This will enable a distribution of £25 each to be made to former members of the Armed Forces who were prisoners of war of the Japanese and to an immediate relative of prisoners who have died. At the same time we shall pay the final share of the assets realised under Article 14 of the Peace Treaty to former members of the Armed Forces who were prisoners of war and to civilian internees, or to an immediate relative. These individual shares will be £5 10s.

The distribution will be put in hand as soon as the money under Article 16 is received, and no further application from those who have already received shares under the earlier distribution will be necessary.

I would like to take this opportunity of expressing our gratitude to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Norwood (Sir J. Smyth), who, both as Parliamentary Secretary and personally, did so much to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion.

Sir J. Smyth

Does my right hon. Friend realise that his statement will be very warmly welcomed by the Far-Eastern Prisoners of War Federation? The amount of our share of the Article 16 assets is a great deal more than at one time had been anticipated and, together with the residue of the Article 14 assets, will make a most satisfactory winding-up to this project, for which the Ministry of Pensions, the Foreign Office and the Far-Eastern Prisoners of War Federation are much to be congratulated.

Mr. Holt

Unless I missed something in the right hon. Gentleman's statement, he merely said that this would be done soon. Can he give any indication whether there is any likelihood of any distribution before Christmas, or whether it will be long after?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I hope to get the first of the payment orders to recipients in about two or three week's time. I am afraid that it will not be possible to complete the payments before Christmas, but certainly it is hoped that a good many payments will be made.