§ 36. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, seeing that the system of partial commutation of pensions of retired officers has been entirely suspended in the Army for about three years, but is still operative in the Navy, the Treasury, as the controlling authority under Section 7 of the Pensions Communtation Act, 1871, will take steps to reopen the system and so enable retired Army officers, who are likely to be leaving the Service soon in largo numbers, to obtain the necessary 2663 capital sums to make it possible for them to start again in commercial and other pursuits.
§ Mr. STANLEY BALDWIN(Joint Financial Secretary to the Treasury): I am glad to be able to inform my Noble Friend that what he desires has already been done. My attention was first directed to the diversity of practice between the War Office and the Admiralty in this matter by a question in this House on 22nd February last. I caused inquiries to be made at once, and the restriction imposed by the War Office has now been removed.