§ MR. A. M. BROOKFIELD (Sussex, Rye)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether it is the case that Native officers and soldiers of the Indian Army are at present ineligible for the decoration of the Victoria Cross; and whether, in view of the many signal acts of valour and devotion for which these subjects of Her Majesty have been distinguished since the Victoria Cross was first instituted, he will consider the expediency 469 of advising an alteration in the present conditions of winning the Victoria Cross, so as to make all officers and soldiers in Her Majesty's service eligible for this reward for distinguished bravery in the field?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAMy honourable Friend is perhaps unaware that the officers and soldiers of the Native Army, who are ineligible for the Victoria Cross, have an Order of their own, the "Order of Merit," for which they alone are eligible. This Order is given as a reward for personal bravery. It consists of three classes, and carries with it additional pay:—In the third class, one-third; in the second class, two-thirds; in the first class, the equivalent of the recipient's net pay. In the lower ranks the additional pay is less than the £10 attached to the Victoria Cross; in the higher ranks, it is more. This Order is highly valued by the Native Army, and I see great objections to an alteration of the existing arrangement.
§ MR. BROOKFIELDArising out of the question, does the noble Lord mean the House to understand that the Order of Merit referred to is regarded as a full equivalent to the Victoria Cross?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAYes, Sir; it is an equivalent so far as the Native Army is concerned. It is, perhaps, given on a somewhat more liberal scale than the Victoria Cross, but it is an equivalent.
§ MR. W. REDMONDMay I ask the noble Lord whether, if there is any general disposition amongst the soldiers of the Native Arm to become eligible for the Victoria Cross, arrangements can be made whereby they may obtain it as well as white soldiers?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAThe existing arrangements, I think, are more favourable to the Native soldiers than if they were eligible for the Victoria Cross.
§ MR. W. REDMONDWill the noble Lord be kind enough to answer the questions put to him?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIAI cannot give any other answer.
§ MR. W. REDMONDI beg to give notice that I will put several Questions on this subject.