§ 13. Mr. BUTCHERasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will state the rules which govern the promotion of officer prisoners of war in the case of second-lieutenants, lieutenants, captains, and officers of higher ranks; and whether there has been any modification in the Regulations on this subject laid down in Article 47 of the Royal Warrant for the pay, appointment, promotion, and non-effective pay of the Army since 1914?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the answer I gave to the question he put to me on 13th March. Officers are eligible for promotion up to the rank of captain, but throughout the War it has been the practice that one step only is given during the period that an officer is a prisoner of war. Otherwise there has been no modification of Article 47 of the Pay Warrant in this respect.
§ Mr. BUTCHERIn view of the ambiguous language of Article 47 of the Royal Warrant, will the hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of bringing out a new version or edition of it?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI will look into it.