§ Captain CARR-GOMMasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of National Service if the officers of the recruiting staffs which were taken over by the National Service Ministry are paid at a flat rate of £300 per annum, irrespective of their rank; and, seeing that in the case of married officers with families and officers who held the rank of captain this is less than their former scale of pay and allowances, whether the Ministry would increase their pay to the scale at which it was before the transfer was made?
§ Mr. BECKI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my answer to the hon. Member for Bridgwater on the 23rd January, 1918. Officers who were serving on the Recruiting Staff of the War Office, and who have been taken over by the Ministry of National Service, have been appointed to posts which are graded758W in relation to responsibility, and have no connection with ranks held in the Army. An officer, irrespective of rank held in the Army, might be appointed to a post drawing £300 per annum. If such salary would not adequately compensate an officer for the loss of military privileges in respect of Income Tax and Army gratuity, he would receive an allowance which would bring the aggregate income received from the Ministry up to a level, which is fair in the circumstances of his case at the date of his transfer.