§ 2. Colonel YATEasked the Secretary of State for India whether, considering that officers of the Indian Army who accepted the option given them by the Indian Government of relinquishing their claim to colonel's allowances and in lieu thereof receiving, on completing 38 years' service, a pension of £750 per annum, or £50 per annum more than the full pension given to other Indian Army officers who were not eligible for colonel's allowances, are now being deprived of the option they exercised and are not being paid that extra £50 per annum, he will state, how the Indian Government proposed to recoup these officers for their claim to colonel's allowances which they relinquished?
§ Mr. MONTAGUNo expectation was held out to the officers referred to that in any future revision of the pension 1151 rates for officers of the Indian Army they would continue to receive £50 a year more than officers of the same length of service who entered the Indian Army after 1st July, 1881. But if any of these officers now drawing pensions at the higher rates wishes to reconsider his decision, and to revert to the position of an unemployed officer on £700 per annum, awaiting his chance of succession to the colonel's allowance I should be prepared to consider such an application, subject to the refund of the difference already drawn between the pension at the higher rate and the unemployed pay of £700 a year
§ Colonel YATEIf any officers accept the offer of the India Office, instead of waiting for the chance of succession to a colonel's allowance, is it fair to deprive them of the £50?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI think that everything has been done quite fairly. These questions are considered carefully and I have no reason to think that anything unfair has been done, but I make this offer now for the consideration of these officers.