§ MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)To ask the Under-Secretary of State for India, if he is aware that since the introduction of the new scale of pay for Indian medical service officers in charge of gaols there are, at any rate in the Madras Presidency, uncovenanted officers of long service in charge of central gaols who do the same administrative work as medical officers in charge of central gaols, but who have not been placed on the same scale of pay for their administrative work; and will he consider whether this difference should be removed and these officers be put on the same scale of pay as medical officers in administrative charge of gaols, in so far as administrative and not medical duties are concerned.
(Answered by Mr. Buchanan.) The recent improvement of the pay of members of the Indian medical service in charge of gaols was part of a general improvement of the pay of that service introduced with a view to making the service more attractive and securing more and better qualified recuits. The same considerations do not apply in the case of the officers referred to in the Question, who are not members of the Indian medical service and whose rates of pay are determined by the conditions of their own service. The Secretary of State does not, as at present advised, see sufficient reason to take any action in the matter, which is primarily one for the consideration of the Government of India.