§ 14. Mr. GILBERTasked the Secretary of State for India what is the number of the staff employed at the India Stores Depôt, Belvedere Road, S.E.; whether he is aware that the staff employed there are on different conditions, one pensionable and one unpensionable, which is a cause of dissatisfaction, as men are discharged after many years' service without any pension at all; and if he will consider the possibility of putting all employés at this depot on the same conditions of a pension according to their years of service?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe total staff at the India Store Depôt is 250. It consists of 408 clerical and technical officers on the one hand and "industrial" employés (foremen, artificers, and labourers) on the other. The former group is pensionable, the latter at present unpensionable, but eligible on retirement after fifteen years' service for a compassionate allowances or gratuity at their option. The staff at the India Store Depot has now passed under the control of the High Commissioner for India, who is, I understand, considering the question of giving the industrial staff a pensionable status.