§ Major NEWMANasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will give the Regulations as to length of service. etc., under which the Meritorious Service Medal with annuity is now granted; what is the sum that has been set aside to provide these annuities; is he aware of the desire felt that medals granted for distinguished or meritorious service in the present War should carry with them a gratuity or annuity, and also that Territorial soldiers should be in all cases on equal terms with soldiers of the Regular Army as eligible for such medals or rewards?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe Regulations under which annuities have been granted for the Meritorious Service Medal when awarded for valuable and meritorious service are contained in Article 1228 of the Pay Warrant. A sum of £7,500 a year is set aside for distribution among soldiers above the rank of corporal after the completion of their second term of engagement (total twenty-one years). By the Royal Warrant of the 3rd January, 1917, the medal may also be awarded for gallant conduct in the performance of military duty otherwise than in action, or in saving the life of an officer or soldier, or for devotion to duty in a theatre of war. An extra 6d. a day may be given to a pensioner who is awarded the medal in this way and is 1441W recommended for it by the General Officer Commanding at the time of the occurrence. A Territorial soldier who obtains this medal for gallant conduct can in the same way as the Regular soldier obtain the extra 6d. a day if he is pensioned for disability; but he is by the nature of the case ineligible for an annuity out of the £7,500 which is reserved for Regular soldiers of twenty-one years' service. The Regulations for the Distinguished Conduct Medal are contained in Article 1230 of the Pay Warrant. Territorial soldiers are eligible for gratuity (or extra pension if pensioned) in the same way as Regular soldiers.