HC Deb 19 November 1996 vol 285 c459W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to pay reparations to ex-service personnel who were prisoners of war in Japan. [4304]

Mr. Hanley

Compensation for former prisoners of war was legally settled in the 1951 San Francisco peace treaty. This provided for the proceeds of Japanese assets held by the allies to be used for reparations.

Through the war pensions scheme administered by the Department of Social Security, we have in place a comprehensive system of compensation for anyone disabled as a result of service in the armed forces. Far-eastern former prisoners of war are eligible for the basic war disablement pension and the wide range of supplementary allowances.

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