§ Mr. Gammansasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Malayan civil servants who were captured and interned by the Japanese during the war are to receive full salaries in respect of the period during which they were interned, and what arrangements are being made, either by the Malayan Government. or his department, to advise other em 158W ployers in Malaya as to what principles they should adopt with regard to the payment of their employees who were similarly interned by the Japanese during the war.
§ Mr. George HallAs to the first part of the Question, I would refer to the answer given on 23rd January to my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for West Wolverhampton (Lieut. Herbert Hughes). Employees of certain public bodies, such as the Singapore and Penang harbour boards and the municipalities are receiving similar treatment.
The ability of other employers to adopt a similar policy towards their employees who were interned, must depend to a great extent upon their financial resources; but I am arranging for publicity to be given to this reply, both in this country and in Malaya, in the hope that other employers will see their way to adopt as generous a policy as possible towards their employees who were interned by the Japanese.