§ 96. Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the treatment meted out to warrant or non-commissioned officers in the Regular Army who received permanent commissions in respect of the amount of retired pay, as compared with men of the same ranks in the Royal Marines who received only temporary commissions during the War, the retired pay of the former being £150 and of the latter £250 per annum; and whether he will consider an adjustment of this inequality?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Lieut.-Colonel Stanley)My attention has already been called to the comparison between the special rate of retired pay of £250 for certain Royal Marine officers, and the rates of retired pay and pensions for Army officers who formerly served in the ranks. In settling the new scales for Army and Navy, regard was paid to the general desirability of assimilation. As, however, the circumstances of the two Services differ so much, complete identity-cannot be expected.