§ 32. Mr. Wyattasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations why Captain J. Parker, late Indian Army, who before joining the Army had eight years' service in the ranks with the R.A.F., nine years and 258 days' colour service with the Lancashire Fusiliers, and four years and 166 days' commissioned service, does not qualify for an officer's pension.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerCaptain Parker has received the retired pay which is allowed under Article 634 (a) (ii) of the Royal Warrant to an officer promoted from the ranks to an emergency commission. I will send my hon. Friend full details about the Royal Warrant and about the way in which Captain Parker's claim has been dealt with.
§ Mr. WyattDoes not my right hon. Friend realise that if Captain Parker's first eight years service in the ranks had been with the Army and not with the R.A.F. he would have received an officer's pension; and does he not think that it is a shameful thing to allow a technical quibble to deprive a man of a pension to which every other consideration entitles him?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerThe hon. Member may call it a technical quibble, but it is part of the regulations that only a maximum of four years in another Service can be counted and only two of those years count for pension. I have no power to alter the Royal Warrant or the way in which it is applied.