§ MR. KING (Hull, Central)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that "off-reckoning" Colonels in the Indian Army while in India have since 1887 been deprived of the privilege of free medical attendance in India, although, at the same time, the Indian Government was contending, for other purposes, that such officers were not retired, but were still serving; whether, by Her Majesty's Regulations both for Home and Colonial Service, all officers on full pay are not entitled to medical attendance; and why the privilege is refused to Indian officers?
* THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. CURZON,) Lancashire, SouthportThe Regulation is not a recent one. Since 1871 it has applied to unemployed General Officers—whether drawing Colonels' allowances or not—and in 1887 it was extended to all other full pay officers on the supernumerary unemployed list, who were residing in India for their own convenience. The Secretary of State understands that under the Rules for the British Service officers on full pay, subject to certain conditions, receive gratuitous medical attendance. The Rules for the British Service do not apply to the Indian Army. Neither the Government of India nor the Secretary of State consider it necessary or desirable that officers who are not wanted in India for military duty, but who choose it as their place of residence merely for their own convenience, should have the privilege of free medical attendance.