§ MAJOR O'BEIRNEasked the Secretary of State for India, Whether an officer who exchanged as a captain, in the year 1878, from a British regiment into the Madras Staff Corps, and who, previous to the date of his exchange, had served eleven years continuously in India without any sick leave, is not entitled to count the entire of the eleven years' service in India in a British regiment towards the pension he would be entitled to in the Madras Staff Corps, provided such exchange has taken place between two officers fully qualified for the Staff Corps, and not probationers; and, if this service in a British regiment serving in India is disallowed for pension in the Madras Staff Corps, if he will explain why, in a recent Despatch of the Secretary of State for India, on the revised scale of pensions, it is stated two years' 780 service out of India in the British army, before joining the Staff Corps, are allowed to count as service towards pension?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, officers who enter the Staff Corps from the British Service are allowed to count all service in India for pension under Indian Retiring Regulations, provided that not less than one-half the required period for each rate of pension shall have been passed in the Staff Corps. Subject to this rule, and to certain restrictions in respect to furlough, pensions are given after 20, 24, 28, 32, and 38 years' service, towards which may be reckoned service out of India before joining the Staff Corps, to an extent not exceeding two years in any case.