asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what facilities exist for sending parcels of food, or other comforts, to prisoners of war in Japanese hands; and what country is acting as Protecting Power in their case?

I regret to say that no facilities exist for the despatch of relief stores to prisoners of war or internees in the Far East. If the Japanese Government accept our proposals to negotiate a further exchange of civilians, the ships used will no doubt, as happened in the first exchange last September, carry such stores. The Japanese authorities have been approached with proposals for a regular service of relief shipments and their reply is awaited. The Power protecting British interests in Japan and Japanese-occupied territories is Switzerland.