HC Deb 22 April 1915 vol 71 cc401-2
56. Mr. GREENE

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that in the Expeditionary Force there are cases in which officers have been commanding their regiments in the field for over six months without being promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel; whether he can say for how long this course is going to be adopted; and whether, when these officers are promoted, their promotion will be antedated to the date at which they took command and will include all arrears of pay and allowances?

Mr. TENNANT

Yes, Sir, there are lieutenant-colonels in the position described, but if they have been acting in a temporary vacancy for periods exceeding a month they will draw, as from the completion of the first month, the pay and allowances of their temporary rank as lieutenant-colonel. I propose to deal with this question in the Debate to-day.

Viscount VALENTIA

asked a question which was inaudible.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

Can the right hon. Gentleman state whether in the case of widows' pensions it will cover the case of the widows of such officers?

Mr. TENNANT

As we have felt that unless they received widows' pensions in the temporary rank in which the unfortunate officer was killed it would constitute a grievance, that matter has been referred to the Select Committee, of which the right hon. Gentleman is a member, for their decision. That is all I can inform the right hon. Gentleman. It is in the hands of the Select Committee, and as soon as they report on the question of officers' pensions and the pensions of widows of officers we will be in a position to come to a decision.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The Committee have asked the War Office for their proposals on the subject, and suggested that it is a matter they might deal with without waiting for the Report of the Committee.

Mr. TENNANT

I am not aware that the Committee have taken any such step. I am very much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman for having given me that information.

Viscount VALENTIA

asked a question which was inaudible in the Reporters' Gallery.

Mr. TENNANT

In the light of the new information conveyed to me for the first time I trust there will be no delay at all.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

I do not want any misunderstanding on the point. Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the question referred to the House of Commons Committee is the alteration of the scale of allowances and pensions? This involves no alteration of any scale but is merely a question of what pension should be attributable to the widow of an officer who dies while holding temporary rank in a higher grade than his substantive rank.

Mr. TENNANT

I must demur to the statement that this involves no alteration. It does.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

Not in scale.

Mr. TENNANT

It involves this alteration. The practice of the Treasury and of the Army Council has been to grant the pension in the substantive rank, and I think to that extent it would be an alteration.

Viscount VALENTIA

rose—

Mr. SPEAKER

The matter is suitable for debate to-day.