§ LORD STRACHIEMy Lords, I rise to ask whether it is the case that retired officers continue to draw their pensions in addition to their pay on re-employment at home; and why are officers invalided home, and sufficiently well, not employed instead of such retired officers.
LORD SANDHURSTMy Lords, in reply to the noble Lord I have to say that it is the case that retired officers continue to draw their pensions in addition to their pay on re-employment at home; but I have to add that the Army Council are now reviewing all the considerations involved in or arising from the simultaneous receipt of pension and pay by re-employed retired officers. The policy suggested in the second part of the Question has already been adopted by the Army Council, and instructions have been issued to General Officers Commanding-in-Chief that employment should be found for officers on the active list who, if not employed, would have to revert to half-pay. In some cases it may be possible to do this without displacing re-employed retired officers; in other cases it may become necessary to displace them. If such reliefs are to be effected they will only be effected very gradually, and the good services performed by any retired officers who may be displaced will be noted with a view to their being reemployed should suitable opportunities occur.