§ MR. MACFARLANEasked the Secretary of State for War, If he can say why the scale for commuted allowance instead of fuel and light has been reduced by the recent Army Circular from 2s. 3d. to 1s. 2d. for Staff and Regimental Officers in the northern and North British districts, thereby greatly diminishing the quantity of fuel and light they can purchase, and why, in these districts, are officers of the rank of Captain and Lieutenant placed in no better position, but in some instances on a lower scale, than warrant officers and non-commissioned officers under Scale I.?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, in reply to the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Macfarlane), I have to state that formerly the allowances for fuel were the same in all parts of the Kingdom, whereas now they are in each district calculated on the cost of 227 the issues in kind to which they are entitled plus 80 per cent. Warrant officers receive a higher rate than regimental captains and lieutenants, because the latter, in addition to the commuted rate, which is personal to the officer, receive on account of their mess issues of fuel and light in kind.