§ MR. KING (Hull, Central)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether he can state the total amount of pensions paid in England for Indian services during the past financial year, distinguishing the totals paid respectively to retired covenanted civilians, military officers, and officers of the uncovenanted service; whether the pensions of Indian covenanted civilians and military officers are fixed and paid in sterling currency; whether all uncovenanted service pensioners, drawing their pay in England, are paid in rupees at the rate of exchange fixed between the Treasury and the Secretary of State; and, what was the total sum in rupees of uncovenanted service pensions paid in England during the last financial year?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GOEST) (Chatham)The total amount of pensions paid in Eng- 582 land for Indian services in 1885–6 was £2,032,905, made up thus:—Covenanted civilians, £428,817; military officers, £1,459,593; officers of the uncovenanted service, £81,219; others (i.e., High Court Judges, Indian Navy, Bengal Pilot Service), £63,276. The pensions of covenanted civilians and military officers are fixed and paid in sterling currency. Uncovenanted service pensioners who elect to draw their pensions in England are paid at the rate of exchange annually fixed between the Treasury and the Secretary of State, except in a few cases in which pensions fixed in sterling have been specially granted. Excluding these special pensions the total sum in rupees of uncovenanted pensions paid in England during 1885–6 was Rs.9,20,000.