§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Secretary of State for India why he has limited the proposal to raise the pensions granted from Indian revenues to pensioners of the various civil funds, such as the Madras Fund and the Bengal Fund, to widows and others whose total income does not exceed £150 a year; and whether he is aware that this proposal is preventing such people from supplementing their income by usefully earning a little money?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe limit, though independently fixed, is the same as that applied under the recent British Pensions (Increase) Act in the case of unmarried persons or of widows with no children under 16 years of age.
§ Mr. MARRIOTTasked the Secretary of State for India whether uncovenanted Indian Civil Servants who retired on 23rd July, 1913, are excluded from the benefit of the increased rate of pensions granted to those who retired on or after that date; if so, the ground for this distinction; and whether he adheres to the terms of the circular letter issued by the Government of India on 23rd July, 1913?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe increased rates of pension are applicable to officers retiring after the 23rd July, 1913, not to those who retired on or before that date. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Education, on my behalf, to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for Melton (Colonel Yates) on the 28th October last. I will send the hon. Member a copy.
§ Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Secretary of State for India when the present maximum pensions for European members of the Forest and Public Works Departments, as regards invalidation and service of 20 and 25 years, were first sanctioned; what increase in the above pensions was granted by the scheme introduced by the Government of India Finance Department Resolution 1,085 E.A. of 15th November, 1919; what percentage of European-recruited officers of the two Departments concerned with less than 20 years' service have not accepted the new 286W scheme; and whether, in the event of acceptances being less than 50 per cent., he will consider the introduction of a fresh pension scheme more commensurate with the increased cost of living in England?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe dates in question are 1884 in the case of officers of the Public Works Department, and 1893 in that of officers of the Forest Service. The maxima specified were not altered by the Resolution of 15th November, 1919 I have no information as to the percentage of officers who have accepted the new scheme. I understand that the Government of India are considering whether the present maxima for officers of these services retired after less than 25 years' service might not be improved in certain respects.