§ 21. Mr. R. McNEILLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War, in view of the decision recently taken that officers in the Pay Corps of military age are not to be allowed to join combatant ranks, he will now be prepared to grant commissions to these officers, having regard to the fact that commissions have hitherto been withheld from them in order to encourage them to join combative branches of the Service?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)The officers who cannot be spared from pay offices to join combatant ranks are the permanent paymasters already holding commissions. The civilian acting-paymasters, to whom commissions are given, are free to join combatant arms if they so desire and are found eligible.