§ 21. Sir CHARLES OMANasked the Secretary of State for India what reductions in the salaries of officers in India appointed by him are under contemplation by the Government of India?
§ 27. Mr. WARDLAW-MILNEasked the Secretary of State for India whether any proposals for reductions in the salaries or allowances of officials in the covenanted services of India are included in the proposals suggested by the retrenchment committee; and whether he will make is clear that no such proposals will have the approval of the Government?
§ Mr. BENNI have received no proposals from the Government of India based on recommendations by their Retrenchment Advisory Committee. If any such proposals are received they will be given the most careful consideration before any decision is reached on them. If it should be desired to do anything affecting rights guaranteed by Statute, legislation will, of course, be necessary.
Mr. WARDLAW-MILNAre we to understand that the proposals which 1045 have been published and sent forward by the Retrenchment Committee of the Government of India have not come to anything, and, if so, can he say whether he is going to accept them or put them before the House?
§ Mr. BENNAs far as I am aware, the hon. Member is premature in saying that any decisions have been arrived at. The ground is being explored, but no proposals have reached me.
§ Mr. MUGGERIDGEWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that, according to the Simon report, the average annual income per head of the people of India is under £8?
Mr. WARDLAW-MILNIs it not advisable that the right hon. Gentleman should make clear at once, in view of the harm that is being done in India, by the suggestions that are being put forward, that the House will not contemplate any change in the salaries of officials guaranteed by Statute?
§ Mr. BENNI do not think that either the hon. Member or myself is qualified to say what the House will or will not do. The important considerations to which the hon. Member draws attention are, of course, in our minds.
§ 22. Sir C. OMANasked the Secretary of State for India whether reductions are contemplated in the salaries of Government servants in India not appointed by him, such as the rank and file of the police, whose monthly pay ranges between the equivalent of 20s. and 30s. per month?
§ Mr. BENNRetrenchment Committees are only just getting to work and I have no information as to the proposals they are likely to make. As regards the pay of the rank and file of the Indian police, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 13th July to a question asked by the hon. Member for North Paddington (Mr. Bracken).