§ Dame Irene Wardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether all the payments due to the victims of Nazi persecution have now been made; how many applicants there were; how many were awarded payments; whether any alterations in the original plan for compensation have been made; and whether a full report will be presented to Parliament.
§ Mr. William RodgersOn 9th June, 1964, the House was informed that Her Majesty's Government had concluded an Agreement with the Federal German Republic whereby the latter paid the sum of one million pounds to be distributed at the discretion of Her Majesty's Government to British victims of National Socialist (Nazi) persecution or to their eligible surviving dependants. Following this on 24th July, 1964, a one year period of registration—to 31st July, 1965—was begun and widely publicised. It was subsequently decided to extend the period of 189W registration by eight months until 31st March, 1966. Further Press announcements were made culminating with the final one on 18th February, 1966.
The total number of application forms distributed (including batches sent to overseas posts, banks, solicitors, etc.) was 6,608 The number of applications rejected was 3,046 The total number of payments made to victims or to the dependants of deceased victims was 1,015 Notes for the guidance of applicants setting out the terms of eligibility were distributed with the application forms. In the exercise of the discretion vested in Her Majesty's Government Nazi persecution was defined for the purposes of this distribution in paragraph 9 of the Notes for Guidance, which read as follows:
9. "For the purposes of this registration: 'National Socialist persecution' means the infliction by members of the National Socialist Party or their agents for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political views or political opposition to National-Socialism of treatment involving detention in Germany or in any territory occupied by Germany in a concentration camp, or in an institution where the conditions were comparable with those in a concentration camp. Hardships suffered in a normal civil prison, civilian internment camp or prisoner of war camp do not constitute Nazi persecution nor does treatment contrary to the Geneva Conventions and the rules of war, even though resulting in permanent injury or death.Corroborating evidence of Nazi persecution was available from a number of sources, chief among which was the International Tracing Service of the International Red Cross at Arolsen.
Unsuccessful applications were rejected for the following reasons:
190W
(a)Disqualified on nationality grounds 913 (b) Claim for Economic/Property losses 95 (c) Eligible for compensation elsewhere 332 (d) In civilian internment camp 692 (e) In regular prisoner-of-war camp 614 (f) Others not in concentration camp or comparable institution, but mainly in ordinary prisons 371 (g) Miscellaneous 29 3,046 The scheme for the payment of awards to those found eligible has now been concluded. Interim payments were made in August, 1965 and final payments sent to successful applicants in November, 1966. Apart from the extension of the time limit for registration of claims, there were no changes to the original scheme laid down for the purposes of this distribution.
The payments were calculated on the basis of a unit system, units being awarded on the scale shown in the table below. At the end of the registration period the total number of units awarded was divided into the available sum of one million pounds to obtain the monetary value of a unit and thus calculate the sum of each individual award.
Imprisonment: Per week in main compound of recognised concentration camp or in institutions where the treatment was comparable =1 unit Physical disability attributable to Nazi persecution 1–20 per cent =20 units 21–50 per cent =40 units 51–100 per cent =80 units Death: =100 units The percentage of disability was assessed by medical boards of the Ministry of Social Security (then the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance).
The total number of units allotted was as follows:
Units For imprisonment 22,911 For disability 6,960 For death 15,100 Total number of units 44,971 The 1,015 awards made to surviving victims and to the dependants of deceased victims were comprised as follows:
Category Number of Awards (i) For imprisonment 639 (ii) Death in concentration camp or as a direct result of persecution 225 (iii) Disability attributable to Nazi persecution 151 TOTAL 1,015