§ LORD EUSTACE CECILasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he is prepared to lay upon the Table any approximate calculation of the additional charge that will fall upon the annual Estimates by the adoption of the proposed changes in Army organisation, and in the increased pay, pension, and retirement of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, as laid down in the Revised Memorandum to take effect from the 1st of July next?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, in reply to the noble Lord, I have to state that it is extremely difficult to estimate the increase or decrease of charge during the first year or two for the pay, half-pay, and retired pay of general and regimental officers, under the proposed system coming into force on the 1st of July, when so considerable a factor in the calculation is the exercise of the option which will be given, especially as to pensions, to officers of different ranks. We have, however, allowed in the Estimates for the following increase this year—that is to say, in general officers' and colonels' retirements about £20,000; in retirements of other officers, some of whom, however, would retire under the present system, £40,000; and for the pay of non-commissioned officers, £45,000. There is no increase in respect of the aggregate pay of other officers, as shown in the revised pages of Appendix to Vote I., already laid on the Table; but, on the contrary, we have a margin for supernumerary officers during the next few years of £44,000 a-year. But I may state that we have estimated the ultimate normal difference between the effect of the Warrant now in force and that which will be established under the 856 two Memoranda now on the Table; and, taking the Effective charge as it stands, the Non-Effective will in the end be about £1,650,000, against about £2,330,000 under the Warrants of 1877–8. This, however, would only completely take effect when the old pension system has been worked out, and the charge for this has not yet reached its maximum.