Sir A. Evansasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if His Majesty's Government are now in possession of an up-to-date list of British civilians and prisoners of war in Japanese hands.
§ Mr. LawWhile it is believed that the names of the great majority of British prisoners of war in Japanese hands are known, the Japanese authorities have largely failed to comply with their obligations in connection with the notification of camp transfers and deaths. His Majesty's Governments are therefore unable to regard the lists of prisoners of war which are in their possession either as complete or up to date. As regards civilian internees, only one list has been received from Burma, and in Malaya there are a large number whose whereabouts have not been officially reported. Lists for these two areas are neither complete nor up to date. Lists for Hong-Kong are practically complete. So far as non-British territories are concerned, i.e. Japan, occupied China, French Indo-China, Siam, Philippine Islands and the Netherlands East Indies, practically complete lists of British civilian internees are in our possession.