§ Mr. HUME-WILLIAMSasked the Undersecretary of State for War whether a departmental warrant officer of the Indian Army is precluded from obtaining a commission if he has been away from his regiment for upwards of three years; and whether, seeing that such a system removes the chance of promotion from a considerable number of highly educated and efficient men, he will take some steps in the matter?
§ Mr. HERBERT FISHERNon-commissioned officers of Indian Departments on promotion to warrant rank are finally removed from the rolls of their regiments and sign an undertaking to serve in their Department until legally discharged. While so serving they are, of course, ineligible for combatant commissions. They may, however, with the approval of the Divisional Commander, revert to regimental duty, but it is believed that none have applied to do so. Warrant officers serving in Indian Departments are eligible for promotion to departmental commissions in due course, but I assume that the hon. Member's question refers to combative commissions.