HC Deb 16 April 1923 vol 162 cc1694-5W
Sir T. BENNETT

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Royal Commission upon the Public Services in India Will include in the scope of its inquiry the operation of the pension rules introduced in 1919, in accordance with which an officer of the professional services is compelled to recognise the Government's absolute right to retire him for no reason stated and without recognising any claim for compensation after 25 years' service, instead of the previously existing rule of 35 years' service or the age of 55 and whether regard will be had by the Secretary of State to the feeling of insecurity which these rules have created in the services affected, seeing that no officer is assured of any benefit from the revised pension rules, while there is a distinct possibility of the loss of five years remunerative service on the maximum pay of a post?

Earl WINTERTON

Pension conditions are certainly within the scope of the inquiry. But I may mention that the Government of India made it clear in 1920 that they would not exercise the right to retire any officer after 25 years' service unless his retirement were desirable in the public interest.