§ MR. BIGGARasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that, by recent Regulations re-constituting the Army Pay Department, Quartermasters are excluded from employment therein; whether, for the information of the House, a list can be produced of Paymasters promoted during the present century from among the Quartermasters, with full information as to the manner in which these Officers acquitted themselves in the higher grade; on what account, and under what circumstances, such of them as are not now serving quitted the Service; and, how many of them are still serving; whether a similar list, for comparison, can be furnished of all Paymasters promoted from among other classes within the same period; whether it is true that a deduction of £10 for each year under the qualifying period that a Quartermaster fails to 665 serve is made from his pension, but whether any increase whatever is accorded for any number of years' service rendered by him over and above the qualifying period; whether it is true that, by Regulation, a Quartermaster is subject to periodical retirement at the discretion of his Commanding Officer, the former being ignorant of the cause, and without a chance of remonstrance, and whether this Regulation is applied to any other class of Officer; and, whether by the power thus confided in a Commanding Officer, he may refrain from recommending a Quartermaster for a continuance in the Service, and thus, by silence, work his professional ruin?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONThe exclusion of Quartermasters from the Army Pay Department is not the result of recent Regulations, as they have never been eligible for appointment in it since the Department was formed. The information asked for as to Paymasters would involve a complete history of every Paymaster appointed during the last 83 years. Even if the materials for such a vast record were accessible, and if a Return of so personal a character were desirable, as to both which points there is great doubt, I have no surplus staff of clerks who could devote their time to such a Return. As regards the pensions of Quartermasters, a maximum retirement is fixed for the rank attainable after certain service; and if a Quartermaster retire with less service a deduction is made. The rule is not peculiar to Quartermasters. The continuance of a Quartermaster in the Service after the expiry of periods of 10, 15, and 20 years' service respectively as Quartermaster depends on his being recommended for such continuance by his commanding officer.