COLONEL JERVISasked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether it is the intention of the Secretary of State for India to take into consideration the sanction given in Parliament to a Bill to refund to the Officers of the British Army, over-regulation as well as regulation prices on the abolition of the purchase system, although the illegality of the former had always been duly notified in Her Majesty's Regulations; and to propose to revise the rules which have been in force hitherto with reference to the compensation of Officers of the late Indian Army in respect to the abolition of the bonus system, so far that each Officer may be recouped in full such amount as he has actually paid towards the bonus fund, such bonus system having been officially approved of by the Board of Directors of the late East India Company, and such approval having been duly notified to the late Indian Army by order of the Governor General in Council?
MR. GRANT DUFFSir, without expressing any opinion as to the views implied in the hon. and gallant Member's Question, I have no hesitation in saying that the Secretary of State in Council will, if this Bill becomes law, most carefully consider whether its provisions have any, and, if so, what, bearing upon the decision come to by his predecessors, in respect to the claims of Indian officers.