§ 22. Brigadier-General BROOKEasked the Secretary of State for War whether a canteen board for the British troops in India has been instituted; and whether the rebates therefrom compare favourably with the rebates units received from the previous system of employing civilian contractors?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Major Earl Winterton)I have been asked to reply to this question. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Army Canteen Board (India) pays to unit funds a fixed rebate of 7½ per cent. of cash and messing purchases. Under the previous system the rebate varied according, to the arrangements made between the unit and the contractor in each case. A comparison 1696 is therefore difficult. I am not aware of any evidence that the present system is less favourable in this respect in the average of cases.