Sir J. D. REESasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the fact that a member of the Indian Civil Service is not in future to contribute 4 per cent. of his salary towards his retiring annuity is relevant to the position of a member of such service who retired under previously existing conditions, in accordance with which half his pension was provided by a provident fund; whether the whole of such member's annuity of £1,000 a year is now secured upon Indian revenues; whether any and, if so, what changes are made in other benefits to which Indian civil servants were entitled under their provident funds by way of dowers for daughters and annuities for widows and children; and whether such benefits, if still existing, are or are not secured upon the revenues of India?
§ Earl WINTERTONThe whole of the annuity of a member of the Indian Civil Service has been, since 1874, and continues to be, secured upon Indian revenues. The hon. Member will see from Annexure X to the Report of the Public Services Commission that, at the time of the Report, the proportion of the annuity contributed by the Service was estimated at about £250. No change has been made, in consequence of the decision with regard to annuity contributions, in the pensions or donations payable to widows and children of Indian civil servants. Such pensions and donations are in all cases chargeable to Indian revenues, subject to the right of the Secretary of State in the case of subscribers under the Indian Civil Service Family Pension Regulations to levy such subscriptions as may be necessary to meet the liability.