§ MR. HICKS BEACH (Gloucestershire, Tewkesbury)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that a Royal Warrant was issued in 1903 granting quartermasters the rank of major after 15 years' service, but owing, presumably, to an oversight, no corresponding increase was made in the amount of their pensions, he will take the necessary steps to provide them with 498 pensions corresponding with the rank at which they retire; and, in the event of such provision being made, will the cases of those quartermasters who attained the rank of major subsequent to the Royal Warrant of 1903 and have already retired, be treated on equal terms with those who may become entitled to pensions in the future.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The retired pay of quartermasters is dependent upon length of service, not rank, and the step of honorary rank given in 1903 did not, and was not intended to, affect their retired pay.