§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further information to give the House on the treatment of British prisoners of war and British civilians in Hong Kong and other places now in Japanese control; and whether he has considered the published Report of this matter of American citizens recently released?
§ Mr. EdenI regret that I have little to add to the reply which was given by the Financial Secretary to the War Office to a similar Question on 22nd July. A preliminary report of the delegate of the International Red Cross Committee on the civilian internment camp in Hong Kong suggests some improvement. The reports on the prisoners of war camps there have not yet been received. As regards the second part of the Question, many of the statements made by American citizens who recently reached Lourenço Marques, especially those relating to the conduct of the Japanese forces at the time of the fall of Hong Kong, serve to confirm information which has already been given to the House. In so far as they deal with new matters steps are being taken, through the Swiss Government, to investigate them.