§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the special war allowances, because of the issuance of which Colonial allowance to officers in Egypt has been reduced by two-thirds, have been, or are to be, automatically raised by an amount corresponding to the reduction in the Colonial allowance, or does the reduction represent an actual diminution in the amount which officers who have been resident in Egypt for long periods since the outbreak of war have been receiving; and, if so, will he say on what grounds this reduction in payments has been introduced suddenly at this stage, without any compensation as compared with the emoluments hitherto enjoyed, seeing that the expenditure of officers in Egypt has increased rather than diminished owing to the trend of prices?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe Colonial allowance as it stood before the reduction is a peace allowance. After full consideration, it has been decided that it should not be issued in full so long as the special war allowances are issued in Egypt. The reduced allowances together with these war allowances amount to more than the full Colonial allowance.