Sir SEYMOUR KINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that military officers of the Bombay Political Department, although entitled to draw the difference between the consolidated pay of their grade in the Department and the pay of their military rank, receive no compensation for the loss of staff pay which they would have drawn if they had stayed with their regiment; 1329W whether he is aware that a major in the Bombay Political Department draws under the present rules only Rs.640 per mensem, whereas if he were still with his regiment he would be drawing at least Rs.200 staff pay more; and will he explain why military officers should be penalised in this way for joining the Political Department, where special ability is required?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe facts are as stated in the first clause of the question, as regards the treatment of those officers in the Bombay Political Department whose pay and allowances are less than the pay of their military rank. This would apply to the case of a major in the position described in the second clause of the question, whose pay would be fixed with reference to his military rank, and not to the staff pay he might be drawing had he remained with his regiment. As regards the last clause, the Secretary of State in Council is awaiting the recommendations of the Government of India on the proposals of the Local Government for improving the position of officers of the Bombay Political Department.