§ MR. KING (Hull, Central)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether he can state how many officers are now drawing colonels' allowances in India, and how many officers altogether are now drawing colonels' allowances, the payment of which is borne on the Indian Exchequer; whether an officer "on colonels' allowances" payable by the Indian Government, if he resides in Ceylon, or in any part of the world except India, is permitted to draw his allowances in England in full sterling value; whereas, if he resides in India, his allowances are converted at the rate of 2s. 0½d. the rupee, the value of the 29 rupee being at present under ls. 5d., thereby entailing upon him a loss from 25 to 30 per cent of his income as compared with his brother officers, in precisely the same position, residing else-where; whether he will state the entire sum saved to the Indian Exchequer per annum by this mode of settling accounts with the officers who reside in India; and, whether the Government will consider the advisability of altering a policy which has the effect of dissuading officers trained and acclimatised in India from residing in that country after retirement?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)There are 430 officers drawing colonels' allowances from the Indian Exchequer. Of these, 418 reside in the United Kingdom, and 12 in India. An officer on colonels' allowances, residing in India, receives his pay and allowances in Indian currency like all other officers on full pay. If residing out of India he may, under the Regulations, draw his pay and allowances in sterling at the rate fixed for the purpose in 1854. It is the view of the India Office that there is no saving by paying the officers in India at the fixed rate; but there is a very heavy charge owing to the fall in exchange by paying those in England at the rate fixed in 1854, and this charge would be increased by the proposed measure. The objection raised to alter the Rule is that to do so would abrogate the rule that officers in India not on the retired list are to draw their pay in the currency, and at the rates of the country in which it accrues; but the Secretary of State does not at present see his way to make the alteration.