§ Mr. BENNETTasked the Secretary of state for India if he will supply a Return showing the present number of pensioners of the civilian services of India other than the Indian Civil Service who retired before the year 1913, and the average annual death-rate of these pensioners?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe Return asked for will be prepared. As a considerable number of pensioners of the services mentioned draw their pensions in India, it will be necessary be refer to the Government of India for particulars in these cases in order to make the Return complete.
§ Mr. BENNETTasked the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the disproportion between. the pensions drawn by retired officers of all the civilian services in India other than the Indian Civil Service, he will give au assurance that whatever revised scale of pensions for those services is adopted in pursuance of the recommendation of the Public Service Commission, endorsed by the Viceroy and himself in the Joint Report, shall be granted to officers now retired as well as to those now on the active list irrespective of the dates on winch they retired?
§ Mr. MONTAGUI regret that I cannot give the assurance asked.