§ Miss Quennellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many former Far Eastern prisoners-of-war are currently in receipt of benefit or pension; and how many applications for benefit or pension he has received.
§ Mr. DeanI regret that no separate statistics are available of war pension claims and awards to Far Eastern prisoners of war. However we estimate that about 7,000 war disablement pensions and 2,700 war widows' or dependants' pensions are in payment to Far Eastern prisoners of war or their dependants.
§ Miss Quennellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to modify the over-seven years rule in the light of the recent publication of studies into the health of former far Eastern prisoners-of-war in Australia, the United States of America and Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton, which are in his possession.
§ Mr. DeanThis is one of the matters I will be discussing on 18th April when224W I receive a deputation from the National Federation of Far East Prisoners of War Clubs and Associations. I would prefer to await the outcome of those discussions before deciding whether any change is necessary in the standards by which we consider war pension claims from Far Eastern prisoners of war.