§ 11. Mr. A. R. W. Lowasked the Secretary of State for War how many British officers of the old Indian Army have already been absorbed into the British Army on a permanent basis in the same branch of the Service in which they served in the Indian Army and how many in different branches of the Service; how many more such officers it is proposed to absorb into the British Army; and on what conditions.
§ Mr. ShinwellFifty-five Regular British officers of the late Indian Army have been accepted into the arm of the British Service parallel to that in which they served in the Indian Army, and 74 have been accepted into different arms. In addition the absorption of a further 303 officers is in hand. There are also some 27 applications still under consideration on which a decision will be reached shortly. Officers transferred have been accepted in the substantive rank, and have retained war substantive rank held in the Indian Army; former service in the Indian Army reckons towards promotion and retired pay as if it had been spent in British service. They are accepted into the British Service in the arm of their choice in so far as there are vacancies for officers 1510 of their age and rank; and they receive from the Indian Army authorities one quarter of the cash compensation terms to which they would have been entitled if they had elected retirement from the Indian Army.