§ Brigadier-General WIGANasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that troops who served or are serving in 907W Tiflis, Batoum, and Transcaspia have been put to considerable expense owing to the rate of exchange given by the paymaster being considerably less than that given by local banks; and will he take steps to have this grievance remedied?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe official rate is fixed at fortnightly intervals, and is based on the actual cost of currency purchased locally. It is impossible to secure that the official rate should correspond to the commercial rate on any given day, but, of course, the variations may be in either direction. I am inquiring whether it is possible to improve the method of fixing the rate. I might add that some 80 to 90 per cent. of the pay issued to the troops is returned through the canteens and post offices, both of which conduct their transactions at the official rates of exchange.