§ DR. THOMPSON (Monaghan, N.)To ask the Secretary of State for India if he will explain why certain increases of pay and charge pay, granted by Royal Warrant of 26th March 1902, to officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps, and drawn all over the world since that date, are still withheld in India.
(Answered by Secretary Lord George Hamilton.) The Royal Warrant of 24th March 1902 amended certain articles of the Pay Warrant and was therefore subject to the last clause in the preamble of the Pay Warrant which declares that it is not in force in the Indian Empire. The question of the pay of the Royal Army Medical Corps in India has, however, been under consideration; and revised rates, giving a substantial increase to the ranks of lieutenant, captain, and lieutenant-colonel, have been sanctioned with effect from 24th November 1902.
§ DR. THOMPSONTo ask the Secretary of State for India if he is aware that certain officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps serving in India are receiving less pay than if they were at home; and, if so, whether he will, with a view to promoting contentment amongst the officers of this corps, assimilate the pay of these officers in India and at home.
(Answered by Secretary Lord George Hamilton.) The Secretary of State has been in correspondence with the Government of India in regard to the rates of pay of officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps serving in India, and a revised scale has been sanctioned to have effect from 24th November 1902. The rates of pay under this new scale, when converted into British currency, are superior to the rates recently laid down for the Royal Army Medical Corps at home, except in the case of officers holding brevet rank. It is not in accordance with the general practice of the Government of India to grant higher pay to an officer holding rank of this description.