§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)To ask the Postmaster-General if he can say what are the regulations which compel Army pensioners in the service of the General Post Office to receive the pensions weekly with their employment pay; and if, in the event of such pensioners desiring to receive their pensions quarterly and not with employment pay, such request will be granted.
§ MR. SLOANTo ask the Secretary of State for War if he can say under what circumstances Army pensioners under the General Post Office are compelled to accept payment of their Army pensions weekly with their employment pay; and whether, in the event of pensioners so employed desiring to have their pensions paid quarterly, the War Office regulations governing the payment of pensions will be carried out.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I will answer these two Questions together. The system of paying naval and military pensions weekly with the Post Office employment wages was introduced on the 1st of April, 1900, mainly in the interests of the staff, on the recommendation of an inter-departmental committee. The system works smoothly, and I do not think that exceptions to the arrangement would be advisable. The War Office agreed that their regulations should be waived in the case of pensioners employed by the Post Office.