§ GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR (Kincardine)asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office, If he will supply the omission in the Estimates and Monthly Returns of the Army of the numbers and ranks of the medical officers serving in India, but belonging to the British Establishment; and, with a view of providing for comparison of 1534 numbers, if Returns of all medical officers in India, as well as in Colonies and at Home, can be laid before Parliament for each year of the period since medical officers ceased to be borne on the strength of regiments; and, the cost of all these medical officers, including those in India, to be shown, assuming for officers in India the rates of English pay?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY (Mr. BRODRICK) (Surrey, Guildford)If the hon. and gallant Member will refer to the Estimates for the present year, he will see that the numbers and ranks of the medical officers on the Indian Establishment who belong to the British Medical Staff are shown. A Return can be given, if moved for, of the number of medical officers serving in India, in the Colonies, and at Home for any particular year. The Army Estimates do not purport to show the effective charge for any person serving in India; and it would be contrary to the whole principle on which the Estimates are prepared to include a charge for the medical officers in India.