Colonel NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether, under present Regulations, officers who, prior to the War, retired on a gratuity receive nothing for five years of war service while those who were in receipt of retired pay and rejoined will have their pensions reassessed on returning to civil life; whether both these classes of officers are actually on the same footing as regards previous and present war service; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this unequal treatment?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt is the case that the reassessment of retired pay of officers who have given paid military service during the War applies only to those who are drawing retired pay. It is not proposed to give additional gratuities to officers who before the War had retired from the Army on gratuity.