§ COLONEL SYKESsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the Secretary of State for India will bring in a Bill, similar to Act 32 and 33 Victoria, for the commutation of the Pensions of Officers and others of Her Majesty's Indian Service, so as to place officers and others drawing pensions from the revenues of India upon the same footing with respect to the commutation of their pensions as is enjoyed by pensioners on the revenues of England?
MR. GRANT DUFFIn reply, Sir, to my hon. and gallant Friend, I have to say that no such Bill is necessary. The Secretary of State in Council has the power to allow officers to commute their pensions, but it is not thought wise to exercise that power. To do so would inevitably increase the applications for compassionate allowances, which are already very numerous. Officers of the late Indian Navy have been allowed within certain limits to commute their pensions, but in their case the circumstances are widely different.