COLONEL LONG (Worcestershire, Evesham)To ask the Secretary of State for War, whether, in the case of senior officers who, in consequence of the reduction of the battalions to which they belonged, and their present age, are in such a position that, whereas before the reduction they were practically certain of promotion, further service, and eventual retirement on higher grades of pension, they will now be retired much earlier, possibly at the age of forty-four, special arrangements can be made to enable them to have personal prospects somewhat equal to what they have lost by the reduction, or some special consideration shown them in the form of compensation or increased pension on compulsory retirement.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) As regards the majors of the disbanded battalions, it has been decided that they are to be considered for promotion to half-pay lieutenant-colonelcies at the precise date at which they would have been promoted had their battalions not been disbanded. In the case of captains,
| Colonial. | Foreign. | |
| lbs. | lbs. | |
| 31st March, 1899 to 31st May, 1902 (Close of War) | 29,688,000 | 31,598,000 |
| 1st June, 1902, to 31st March, 1903 | — | — |
| 1st April, 1903, to 31st March, 1904 | 400,000 | 1,237,500 |
| 1st April, 1904, to 31st March, 1905 | 52,000 | 1,073,000 |
| 1st April, 1905, to 31st March, 1906 | 280,000 | 1,544,048 |
| 1st April, 1906, to date | 26,988 | 2,135,733 |