§ 2. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he is aware that overseas pay to district opium officers of the Benares opium service was granted, with effect only from 1st April, 1924; and that at the same time their basic rate of pay was reduced by Rs. 250 (in certain cases Rs. 200) per month; and on what grounds these officers were treated differently from officers of other services?
§ Earl WINTERTONDistrict opium officers of non-Asiatic domicile have been granted sterling overseas pay with effect from the 1st April, 1924, a portion of their previous inclusive pay being merged in sterling overseas pay, as in the case of officers of other services whose pay had not previously been stated in terms of basic and rupee overseas pay. The grant to these officers of sterling overseas pay has given them a minimum net increase of £120 per annum. The increase is £135 per annum in the case of the higher paid officers.
§ Mr. WARDLAW-MILNECan my Noble Friend say whether these officers are getting exactly the same treatment as other officers of similar standing in other services?
§ Earl WINTERTONThe position is this: Their pay was increased by an average of 61 per cent. when rupee overseas 791 pay was given to the All-India Services in 1920. Had sterling overseas pay been given to them without abatement of their previous rupee pay, the increase would have greatly exceeded that in the All-India Services. Therefore the answer to my hon. Friend's question is, in effect, Yes.