§ Mr. M. JONESasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the conditions of service of schoolmasters in the Army in regard to their emoluments and to their pensions on retirement?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSSoldiers are either transferred from other arms or enlisted direct for service in the Army Educational Corps. The normal period of engagement is 12 years with the Colours, but re-engagement to complete 21 years may be allowed, if recommended by the soldier's commanding officer. The rates of pay are:
Per diem. s. d. Sergeant (on probation) 7 0 Sergeant 9 0 Warrant Officer (Class II) 12 0 Warrant Officer (Class I) 16 0 In addition, they draw the allowances appropriate to their rank in the same way as other soldiers. Promotions to warrant rank are made within establishment (the establishment of the above ranks is in the approximate proportion of 3 sergeants: 2 warrant officers (Class II): 1 warrant officer (Class I). Soldiers transferred from the late Corps of Army Schoolmasters to the Army Educational Corps on the formation of the latter were allowed to continue on their existing terms of engagement, under which they received 9s. per diem whilst on probation, 12s. on confirmation in appointment as Army Schoolmasters and 1861W 16s. on promotion to the rank of warrant officer (Class I) after at least eight years' service as schoolmasters. They are pensioned under the conditions and on the scale applicable to soldiers generally, namely, 1½d. a day for each year of qualifying service, with additions for rank up to warrant officer (Class I). The maximum pension of a warrant officer (Class I) is 55s. a week.