HC Deb 14 November 1927 vol 210 cc606-7
17. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNE

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of post-War conditions and of the efforts to meet those conditions in the case of other services by the grant of the recommendations of the Lee Commission, the Government will reconsider the claim of some 40 European officers of the Indian service of engineers appointed from the Indian engineering colleges to the same status as to pay and allowances as that of officers of their own and other services recruited in England, especially in view of the wording of the Government of India, Finance Department, Resolution No. 1559 E. A., dated 16th August, 1921, which placed officers of Indian domicile in certain other services on the same footing as regards the grant of overseas pay as officers of European domicile, and of the fact that this concession has been extended in a modified form to officers of the Indian Foreign Service and granted to officers similarly situated in all other services?

Earl WINTERTON

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 11th July. The case of these officers has been very carefully considered by my Noble Friend, and he regrets that it is not possible to reconsider the decision arrived at. I would point out that the resolution to which my hon. Friend refers is not relevant, as it applied only to officers who were members of the services specified when overseas pay was first introduced; the officers to whom the question relates were at that time members not of an All-India Service, but of the Provincial Engineering Service.

Mr. WARDLAW-MILNE

Has the Secretary of State taken into consideration the fact that these men are doing precisely the same work as European officers for the same service, recruited in this country, and that the conditions for which they were recruited do not apply to-day owing to changed circumstances?

Earl WINTERTON

My hon. Friend and I have discussed this matter before. I can only answer now that the position has been considered very carefully, and for the reasons which I have stated the Secretary of State cannot accept the applications of these men.