§ 60. Mr. Markhamasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the shortage of skilled labour and the fact that the majority of ex-service men are now over 45 years of age, he will consider abrogating the rule prohibiting the employment of men over 45 years of age in War Office establishments; and whether he will revise the gratuity scale so as to make men with comparatively short periods of service eligible for proportionate gratuities?
Mr. CooperDiscretion to waive the rule in suitable cases is already given to heads of establishments, and at the present time widely exercised by them. As regards the second part of the question, the conditions for the award of gratuities are laid down in the Superannuation Acts and cannot be varied for the employés of an individual Department.