§ Mr. Rees-Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement with regard to the negotiations with the Junior Civil Service Associations in Malaya on the question of back pay for the period of the Japanese occupation.
Mr. Creech JonesNegotiations have been proceeding since August last, but at the beginning of February the Governor of the Malayan Union informed me that the Associations had decided to reject revised proposals which, with my concurrence, had been put to them, and to have no further meetings with the Government representatives. As it then appeared that further negotiations would be fruitless and as I was satisfied that these proposals constituted an equitable settlement, I agreed, on the recommendation of both Governors, that these proposals should he taken as the final decision of the Malayan Governments on this subject. The decision was conveyed to the Presidents of the Associations in letters dated 15th February which have been published. The broad effect of the decision is that non-interned Government servants who remained at their posts in Malaya will have had the pay they received from the Japanese during the period of the occupation made up to at least (and in some cases more than) 100 per cent. of their normal salaries. Those who can show that by reason of their pro-Allied activities during that period were unable to earn a living will now receive full pay.