§ Mr. S. ROBERTSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the King's Regulations provide that no warrant officer, Class 1, under the age of 45 years, will be discharged from His Majesty's Forces without reference to the Army Council; that this has always been taken to imply that, provided a warrant officer is physically fit and recommended by his commanding officer, he may be permitted to remain in the Service until attaining that age; that, without any 612W notification of any amendment of the above regulation, the system in force at the moment in the Royal Regiment of Artillery is that as soon as a warrant officer, Class 1, has served five years in that rank and also has;21 years' service, he will be discharged from His Majesty's Forces; why differentiation is made with regard to this particular regiment; and whether, seeing that some of the men in question refused commissions during the War with the hope of being promoted warrant officers, Class 1, for the express purpose of being allowed to remain in the Service until attaining the age of 45 years and thus being able to obtain a better pension, he will reconsider the position of these warrant officers?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI am aware of the provision referred to in the first part of the question, but in view of the necessity of reducing the number of surplus warrant officers. Class 1, in the Royal Artillery, and of keeping a flow of promotion, it is not possible at present to retain all such warrant officers until they attain the age of 45 years. Special consideration is given to applications for continuance in the case of those who have been recommended for commissions as quartermasters or district officers. Royal Artillery, provided they are likely to be considered for such commissions within a reasonable period. I would point out that Article 995 of the Pay Warrant lays down that warrant officers, Class 1, with 21 years' qualifying service for pension, are liable to be discharged.