13/07/2005
Ombudsman criticises PoW compensation scheme
The decision to award compensation to British prisoners of war interned in Japanese camps during World War II based on a ‘bloodlink’ criterion has been criticised by the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
The criterion for the Ministry of Defence’s ex-gratia compensation scheme was changed in 2001, so that only an applicant who was born in the UK or had a parent or grandparent who was born in the UK, was eligible for the compensation.
Under the new criterion, around 1,000 British subjects with no close ‘bloodlink’ to the UK became ineligible for compensation.
Parliamentary Ombudsman Ann Abraham made four findings of maladministration in the scheme, which were outlined in the report. Ms Abraham said that the scheme was devised too quickly, which led to a lack of clarity about the criteria, and criticised the Ministerial statement to Parliament, announcing the scheme, as “unclear and imprecise”, which led to “confusion and misunderstanding”.
Ms Abraham also pointed out that there was no review of the late introduction of the new criterion in order to ensure it did not lead to unequal treatment. She also said that there had been a “failure to inform” applicants of the change in criteria when they were sent a questionnaire to establish their eligibility.
The Ombudsman made a series of recommendations to the Ministry of Defence to rectify the situation. The government has agreed to apologise to applicants for any distress that was caused and to consider whether that regret should be expressed tangibly.
However, it has not agreed to a review of the operation nor to consider the position of those denied payment because of the bloodlink criterion. Ms Abraham said that she found this “deeply disappointing”.
The Ombudsman’s report concluded that those for whom the scheme was supposed to offer a “tangible expression of a debt of honour” for the “inhuman treatment and suffering” they had experienced, were entitled to expect that the scheme would be devised, announced and run properly. It was of “considerable regret” that this did not happen, the Ombudsman concluded.
(KMcA/GB)
The criterion for the Ministry of Defence’s ex-gratia compensation scheme was changed in 2001, so that only an applicant who was born in the UK or had a parent or grandparent who was born in the UK, was eligible for the compensation.
Under the new criterion, around 1,000 British subjects with no close ‘bloodlink’ to the UK became ineligible for compensation.
Parliamentary Ombudsman Ann Abraham made four findings of maladministration in the scheme, which were outlined in the report. Ms Abraham said that the scheme was devised too quickly, which led to a lack of clarity about the criteria, and criticised the Ministerial statement to Parliament, announcing the scheme, as “unclear and imprecise”, which led to “confusion and misunderstanding”.
Ms Abraham also pointed out that there was no review of the late introduction of the new criterion in order to ensure it did not lead to unequal treatment. She also said that there had been a “failure to inform” applicants of the change in criteria when they were sent a questionnaire to establish their eligibility.
The Ombudsman made a series of recommendations to the Ministry of Defence to rectify the situation. The government has agreed to apologise to applicants for any distress that was caused and to consider whether that regret should be expressed tangibly.
However, it has not agreed to a review of the operation nor to consider the position of those denied payment because of the bloodlink criterion. Ms Abraham said that she found this “deeply disappointing”.
The Ombudsman’s report concluded that those for whom the scheme was supposed to offer a “tangible expression of a debt of honour” for the “inhuman treatment and suffering” they had experienced, were entitled to expect that the scheme would be devised, announced and run properly. It was of “considerable regret” that this did not happen, the Ombudsman concluded.
(KMcA/GB)
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