57. Vice-Admiral Sir REGINALD HALLasked the Secretary of State for Air whether any modifications, in addition to the pay and/or allowances of officers, married or single, have been made since September, 1919?
§ Sir P. SASSOONAs regards pay, a reduction of 5½ per cent. took place upon 1st July, 1924, in accordance with the conditions attached to the improved rates introduced in 1919 that they should be revised after five years in the light of the cost of living. On the other hand, command pay of 5s. a day has been granted to the wing commander of certain formations. As regards allowances, there have been periodical revisions of the rates of fuel, light and ration allowances, which are reviewed every quarter in accordance with the fluctuation in the cost of the issues in kind; and new rates of fuel and light allowance were introduced in October, 1920, when a differentiation was made between the allowances for married and single officers.
Sir R. HALLMay I ask whether the result of the modifications of the allowances is to increase the allowances in a general way?
§ Sir P. SASSOONThe effect of the change made in October, 1920, was, broadly speaking, to improve the rates payable to both married and single officers, in two items, light and fuel, owing to the cost of these commodities, but these are more or less balanced by reductions in the pay of single officers in certain junior ranks.