HC Deb 16 November 1888 vol 330 cc1381-2
SIR ROPER LETHBRIDGE (Kensington, N.)

asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government had been drawn to that portion of the Report of the Currency Commission in which the Commissioners unanimously dwelt on the injury inflicted on the European employés of the Indian Government by the con- tinuous fall in exchange, on the ground that— They derive no benefit from the fall of gold prices, as the fall has affected wholesale more than retail prices, and has not affected at all many of the prices in which they are interested; and, whether Her Majesty's Government, in consultation with the Government of India, will consider a scheme for rendering the home pensions and sick and leave allowances of such employés independent of the fluctuations of exchange?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)

The passage quoted by the hon. Member gives an incorrect view of the opinion of the Commissioners when separated from its context. The whole passage is this— So far as their incomes are spent in India, or are devoted to the purchase of commodities the gold price of which has fallen as much as that of silver, they do not sustain any loss. But on a large proportion of their remittances to Europe they derive no benefit from the fall of gold prices, as the fall has affected wholesale more than retail prices, and has not affected at all many of the prices in which they are interested. In reply to this it is pointed out that the loss sustained by the servants of the Government in connection with their remittances is a matter for discussion and settlement between themselves and their employers. If the salaries of the Indian officials do not represent as much real remuneration as before, the Government will ultimately be compelled, by the same forces which settle the market value of all other commodities, to increase their salaries. It does not seem desirable to the Secretary of State to deal with one branch of the subject while the action of Her Majesty's Government on the general report is under consideration.

SIR ROPER LETHBRIDGE

Who is the authority with whom these European servants of the Indian Government can negotiate in order to obtain the addition to their pensions and leave allowances?

SIR JOHN GORST

They must negotiate through the Government under whom they serve and the Secretary of State in Council.