HC Deb 29 November 1916 vol 88 cc301-2
1. Colonel YATE

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, considering that officers on the retired list, unemployed supernumerary list, and reserve of officers while temporarily employed under the War Office receive an allowance for uniform and are held to be eligible for gratuity in addition to their full home or Indian pay or pension and the War Office allowance, he will now place unemployed officers of the Indian Army on the unemployed supernumerary list on their attaining the required age and put them on the same footing as regards allowances and gratuities as the others, and also put a stop to the deductions from their pay now made by the India Office contrary to regulations?

The SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Chamberlain)

The officers referred to in the question all belong to a class which is liable to be called up for service by the Government of India if required by India either in India itself or overseas. Some of them have been so called up, and they receive the Indian pay appropriate to their appointments. Others—and these are the ones referred to in the question—were not required by India and were allowed to volunteer for service under the War Office. In such case they receive full British pay for such service plus, in most cases, the larger portion, and in no case less than half, of the pay that they receive as unemployed officers. They consequently receive more than British Army officers on the active list of similar rank doing the same work. I cannot conceive that they have authorised my hon. and gallant Friend to represent this as a grievance, and I see no reason for increasing their aggregate remuneration. Its exact adjustment between the British and Indian Exchequers is a matter of departmental arrangement. If any of these officers is dissatisfied I can ask the War Office to dispense with his services. There will be no difficulty in finding other officers anxious to take the position.

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