§ Sir I. Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Burma whether he is aware that Mrs. P. Watt, of the Exeter Laundries, Limited, 15a, Rolle Street, Exmouth, widow of the late Chief Engineer P. Watt, of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company Limited, whose death was due to enemy action in the Port of Rangoon, in December, 1941, has been refused compensation by the Minister of Pensions and the Secretary of State for Burma; and what arrangements the Government propose to make to compensate cases of this kind.
§ Mr. AmeryYes, Sir. I am advised by the Ministry of Pensions that Mrs. Watt cannot be held eligible either under the Mercantile Marine War Pensions scheme, or, since Mr. Watt was not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme in the United Kingdom. The Government of Burma having now no revenues of its own is not in a position to provide compensation. It has not been represented to me that the case in question is one where there is serious distress. The general question involved is, of course, one which affects other territories besides Burma.