HC Deb 06 May 1924 vol 173 cc203-4
13. Mr. R. MORRISON

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any inquiries have recently been made as to the conditions of family allowances to married soldiers serving in India as compared with services either at home or in any other part of the Empire; and what conclusions, if any, have been arrived at?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Richards)

This matter was settled at the end of 1921 after extensive inquiry. Only one point of detail has been under consideration since. As regards the last part of the question, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the information promised:

The marriage allowances scheme for British soldiers which was introduced from the 4th October, 1920, was applied to soldiers serving regimentally in India with effect from that date.

On its introduction in India the soldier received the British rates of marriage allowance, converted into rupees at the rate of Rs.10 = £1, plus an Indian allowance of 20 per cent. This was practically the equivalent of the British rate converted at the current rate of exchange.

In 1921, however, the Government of India received evidence which showed that the War Office system of marriage allowance, under which at Colonial stations certain rations were admissible for the family and at all stations a deduction was made for rent of quarters, was unsuited to Indian conditions, and they were informed that British soldiers in India would prefer to receive an all-round allowance fixed in rupees without rations and without deduction for rent.

An extensive inquiry was accordingly instituted amongst Officers Commanding British units in India and others in a position to know, and, as a result, towards the end of 1921, the Government of India recommended that the following consolidated rupee rates should be given in India in preference to British rates converted:

Per mensem.
Rs.
For a wife only … 30
For wife and 1 child … 40
For wife and 2 children … 50
For wife and 3 children … 60
For each additional child … 5

With these rates no rations for the family were to be admissible and no deductions were to be made for rent of quarters.

The recommendations of the Government of India were accepted by the Secretary of State for India, who sanctioned the introduction of the new rates as from the 1st January, 1922. They are still in force and appear to be satisfactory. They compare with the present British rates as follows:

A week.
s. d.
Wife only … 7 0
Wife and 1 child … 13 6
Wife and 2 children … 18 0
Wife and 3 children … 20 0
Wife and 4 children … 22 0
Wife and 5 children … 23 6
Wife and 6 children … 25 0
For each additional child … 1 0

With these rates 1s. a day is deducted for rent when quarters are provided, and, in Colonial stations only, a half ration is issued for the wife and a quarter ration for each child. The Indian rates, therefore, generally compare favourably with the British.