§ 1. Colonel YATEasked the Secretary of State for India why the new rules issued in August last regarding the pay and allowances to sick and wounded officers of the Indian Army should be dependent upon the War Office or the Treasury as to the date of their application, which was fixed for the 17th February, 1917; and whether, considering that it is the duty of the India Office and the Government of India to provide for the sick and wounded officers of the Indian Army, he will now arrange to pay the increased charges on account of these allowances from Indian revenues, with effect from the date of the commencement of the War?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Herbert Fisher)The consent of the War Office and the Treasury was necessitated by the fact that under the Parliamentary Resolutions of 16th September and 96th November, 1914 352 which determined the liability of Indian revenues in respect of the charges of Expeditionary Forces dispatched from India, the additional allowances sanctioned under the new rules fall to be borne by Imperial revenues.
§ Colonel YATEMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will not take into consideration the fact that the Indian Army are under the care of the India Office and the Government of India and will he do anything to put those officers, sick and wounded officers, on a proper footing?
§ Mr. FISHERUnder the arrangement made between the Secretary of State for India and the Army Council it was settled that the net cost to be borne by the War Office should equal the actual cost incurred by us—the cost that would have been incurred if the troops had remained in England. It follows from that, as the hon. and gallant Member will appreciate, that the full cost of all officers and men on sick leave falls upon the War Office.
§ Colonel YATEI am sorry to say I do not appreciate that at all. I ask if he will give this allowance from the India Office dating from the commencement of the War?
§ General Sir IVOR PHILIPPSWill the right hon. Gentleman see that British officers in the Indian Army and British men in the Indian Army do not suffer owing to some red-tape procedure between the War Office and the India Office?
§ 2. Colonel YATEasked the Secretary of State for India under what circumstances the reimposition of Indian Income Tax on the pay of officers of the Indian Army serving in Persia has been sanctioned; and whether, considering that the levy of Indian Income Tax from the pay of civil officers serving in Persia was abandoned in 1910 as being illegal, he will take steps to put a stop to the imposition of Income Tax on the pay of officers of the Indian Army now serving in Persia?
§ Mr. FISHERI am not aware that Indian Income Tax is being recovered from officers of the Indian Army serving in Persia. Such a course would be contrary to the practice of the Government of India in recent years. If the hon. and gallant Member will furnish me with any instances in which tax is being recovered, I will have inquiry made.
§ Colonel YATEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to inquire from the Government of India if it is so?
§ Sir J. JARDINECan the right hon. Gentleman point out whether this is imposed by virtue of powers of the Indian Legislature or whether it is a mere executive order of some sort?
§ Mr. FISHERI am not aware that this tax has been imposed.