World War II: PoWs and Internees

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton)
My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Derek Twigg) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:

On 26 January 2007, I announced that the Ministry of Defence would consider claims for compensation for injury to feelings resulting from discrimination on grounds of national origins from persons of non-UK national origins whose claim under the UK's ex gratia payment scheme for former Far East prisoner of war and civilian internees was rejected under the birthlink criterion. I am now announcing the cut-off date and arrangements for those compensation claims.

Claimants who think that they are entitled to compensation should write to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency setting out the basis on which they consider themselves to be entitled to make a claim for indirect discrimination under the Race Relations Act 1976. The cut-off date for receipt of applications will be 31 December 2008.

We have consulted the Association of British Civilian Internees—Far East Region (ABCIFER) about these arrangements and will be seeking their support in publicising the cut-off date.