§ VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH, in rising to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether any decision had been formed with reference to the commutation of naval and military officers' pensions, said: I need not detain your Lordships at great length in putting this question, because the subject was before your Lordships' House last Session.
LORD HARRISI am afraid that I shall not be able to give any answer which will be satisfactory to the noble Viscount. In consequence of the representations of my noble Friend, His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary 1001 of State for War have taken the matter seriously into their consideration, and instructions to officers who desire to commute their reserve pay have been issued in a special Army Order, which will appear on the 1st of April. The Secretary of State for War is not the final authority which decides the question of commutation. He only recommends to the Commutation Board and the Treasury, and it is for them to act on the recommendation if they think proper. The following form of instructions to officers desiring to commute their half-pay, retired pay, or other payments of a like nature under the Pensions Commutation Acts, will be issued on Revised Army Form B. The conditions under which the Secretary of State for War would recommend cases for the consideration of the Pensions Commutation Board under the foregoing instructions are:—
(1) The Secretary of State for War will not recommend the commutation of the non-effective pay of an officer who is liable to be called to serve in time of war or emergency; (2) the Secretary of State of War will not in any case recommend the commutation of non-effective pay to the extent of more than one-half of it; and he will not recommend the commutation unless a sum of at least £80 a year be left uncommuted.I believe that the Admiralty have been communicated with, and they are ready to act on the same lines.
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- CONSOLIDATED FUND (NO. 2) BILL. 53 words