§ Mr. GRANTasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that officers transferred from Labour battalions to the Royal Engineers at their own request lose seniority, while those officers who are invited to transfer do not; and if he can recommend a redress of this inequality, in view of the fact that the former transference may be done from purely patriotic motives?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe position is as stated by my hon. Friend in the first part of his question. This has always been the rule and is governed by paragraph 217 of the King's Regulations. Where an officer is transferred from one corps to another in the interests of the Service he retains the date of appointment to his substantive rank. If the transfer is at the officer's own request, and not necessarily in the interests of the Service, he is placed junior of his rank in his new corps. This rule is considered to be the most equitable to all the officers affected, and I regret I do not see my way to make any variation.