§ Mr. N. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for War whether the payment of command pay in the present circumstances is inimical to the best interests of the country; whether such payments act as an incentive to retain unnecessary men with the forces; and whether he will consider the possibility of abolishing all such payments immediately?
§ Mr. FORSTERGenerally speaking, command pay, so far as it depends on numbers, is based upon the authorised establishment of the unit concerned, which is determined by purely military considerations. I am not aware of any ground for thinking that it operates in the way suggested.