§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Secretary of State for Burma what arrangements have been made for evacuees from Burma?
§ Mr. AmeryThe task of dealing with the large numbers of both official and non-official evacuees from Burma was a formidable762W one. The Governments of India and of Burma were and are anxious to do everything in their power to help these evacuees in their time of distress. Before the Government of Burma left that country the Government of India had drawn up plans for the relief of evacuees from Malaya and European countries, and these were quickly adapted for application to non-official Burma evacuees. The scheme has been modified in details from time to time, but remains the same in essence—that is, it is administered by the Government of India and Provincial Governments and Administrations. There have naturally been difficulties in dealing quickly with all cases, for the evacuees are spread over the length and breadth of India, but these difficulties are being overcome. The Governments of India and Burma have both appointed officers to tour the districts where evacuees are located, to bring to light any hardship, and to maintain personal contact with evacuees. The Governor of Burma informs me that he has set up a Department to deal with this problem in co-operation with the Government of India, and he pays a tribute to the work that has been done both by Government of India officials and by the great number of voluntary helpers who have assisted Burma evacuees. Looking to the future, it is intended that this Department during the initial stages of our return to Burma should be sharged with the duty of caring for such wives and families as may have temporarily to remain behind in India and eventually to deal with their return to and re-establishment in Burma. The maintenance of the thousands of Government servants, mostly non-Europeans, who were evacuated from Burma is a direct responsibility of the Government of Burma, and this was not easy to discharge because of the loss of Government and personal records, the dislocation of communications in some areas, and the difficulty of finding out exactly where evacuees have settled down. By the end of October, however, the great majority had received either provisional payments or a final settlement of their claims.