§ 21. Colonel Beamishasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will make a statement regarding the disposal of the balance of the assets under Articles 14 and 16 of the Peace Treaty with Japan.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterYes, Sir. The balance of the Article 14 assets now expected from the Administrator of Japanese Property, plus the United Kingdom's share of the residue of the Article 16 assets which is expected from the International Committee of the Red Cross this year, is likely to amount to rather more than £200,000 in all.
This sum is not sufficient to be of any real benefit if distributed on a per capita basis. After consultation with the Federation of Far Eastern Prisoners of War Clubs and Associations, Her Majesty's Government propose to make a further grant of £25,000 to that organisation's central welfare fund, and to use the remaining money to create a new trust fund to give help to former Japanese prisoners of war, civilian internees and their dependent relatives in such ways as the provision of accommodation for the aged, sick or convalescent, in homes or otherwise, assistance towards education, training or resettlement, house purchase or improvement, and towards holidays for the disabled, convalescent or sick.
687 The trustees will also have power to make grants to other charitable bodies for the benefit of former Far Eastern prisoners of war, civilian internees and their dependent relatives, provided that such grants would not hinder the carrying out of the primary objects.
The trust will be an independent body administered by seven trustees, four of whom will be nominated by the Federation of Far Eastern Prisoners of War Clubs and Associations and three by me.
The transfer of the remaining money to the new trust will mean that it will not be possible to entertain any belated applications for a per capita share of the assets after the 31st March, 1959.
§ Colonel BeamishIs my right hon. Friend aware that the decision, as announced, seems to be a wise one, and likely to be widely welcomed by those who were prisoners of war or civilian internees in Japanese hands? Is he further aware that the use to which the money raised under Articles 14 and 16 has been put seems to have established the important principle that no country can ignore with impunity its obligations to prisoners of war or civilian internees under international conventions?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am grateful to my hon. and gallant Friend for his remarks. I agree with him that in dealing with this money in this way we shall be able to use it to relieve, to the maximum extent possible, hardship amongst these former Far East prisoners and internees.