66. Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that officers of the Reserve are not allowed to transfer to the new pensions scale, he will take steps to increase their gratuity to the same scale as that payable to temporary officers?
§ Mr. FORSTERI understand the suggestion to be that an officer who had retired with a service gratuity before the War and who, under Article 497 (A), draws service gratuity on the lower scale for service during the War should, now either be granted retired pay or should draw war gratuity on the higher scale. If this is my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion. I am afraid I cannot adopt it.
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSIs it not a fact that a Regular gratuity is in the nature of a gift, whereas the temporary gratuity is a deferred pay to re-establish the temporary officer in civil life, and have 917 not Reserve officers just as much need to be re-established in civil life, where they have been called up and had it interrupted as temporary officers?
§ Mr. FORSTERI do not think the gratuity issued to the Regular officer is in the nature of a gift. It takes the place of the amount that used to be divisible amongst the Army resulting from the sale of loot. With regard to the gratuity issued to a temporary officer, it is undoubtedly intended to help him to restart himself in civil life from which he has been removed by the exigencies of the War.
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSCan he say whether the Reserve officer who has had his civil employment disturbed is not in equal need of being re-established?
§ Mr. FORSTERI do not want to quibble with my hon. and gallant Friend, but I am in some little difficulty to know precisely what he means by the Reserve officer. If he would put down a question giving me a specific case—
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSI mean a man who was on the Reserve of officers, and was called up for the period of the War and who has got no additional pension as a result?
§ Mr. FORSTERI will look into that specific case.