§ 16. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if the Army chaplains are the only officers in the Army whose scale of pay has not been increased in recent years; and how their pay and pensions compare with those of Army doctors and veterinary surgeons?
Mr. BAKERNo, Sir. There are other departmental officers in the same position. It would not, I fear, be possible to give the figures for which the hon. Member asks by way of answer to a question, but I shall be glad to send them to him if he so desires.
§ 17. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked if the scale of pensions for Army chaplains retiring after 20 and 25 years has been lowered from 12s. 6d. and 15s. a day, respectively, to 13s. and 10s.; and, if so, for what reason?
Mr. BAKERThe reductions to which the hon. Member refers were made twenty-one years ago, on the ground that the higher rates favoured unduly the voluntary retirement of chaplains who were still in every way fit for their duties.
§ 18. Mr. BRIDGEMANasked how many Army chaplains are there now at the front for every 10,000 men?
§ Mr. TENNANTI am afraid that I cannot state the exact proportion of chaplains now with the troops at the front, but the scale of provision is one chaplain to a brigade with an additional chaplain where three or more battalions in the same brigade each contain a majority of men belonging to the same denomination. Chaplains are also provided for divisional troops, field ambulances, and hospitals.