§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for War 1137W whether he is aware that Under Army Orders No. 210, of 1919, and Nos. 291 and 348, of 1920, subaltern officers of the Royal Artillery who were commissioned from the ranks may at present retire on a pension of £200 per annum for life as soon as they have completed 15 years' total service; that after the date of the statutory termination of the War those still serving will, when forced to retire at the age of 35, receive a gratuity of £300 and a pension of £146 per annum for five years only; and whether, in view of the hardship caused to many officers, he will consider the advisability of correcting this anomaly by allowing a total service of 15 years to count for the life pension, irrespective of the date of the termination of the War?
§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONThe rate of retired pay for these officers is usually £150 a year; £200 is given only to subalterns of the Royal Artillery compulsorily placed on half-pay at, or after, the age of 35 years, if they have 15 years' service. The rate of £150 a year retired pay is drawn after a combined service, in the ranks and commissioned, of 15 years, so as to prevent any inequality of treatment, through shortness of service in the ranks, between those officers commissioned early in the War and those commissioned later. The Royal Warrant provides that the total of 15 years' service shall be rendered before the termination of hostilities, and I regret that this provision cannot be modified.