HC Deb 09 April 1919 vol 114 cc2066-7W
Mr. HARTSHORN

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether officers attached to the King's African Rifles are entitled to six days' leave for every month's service abroad; whether when officers are sent home on sick leave the leave commences from the time they leave Kalindini, East Africa, and that by the time they reach this country their leave has already expired; whether, when they are granted further leave, they receive only British Army rates plus 2s. 1d. ration allowance without any lodging allowance; and whether he will make the same lodging allowance to these officers as is given to officers of the British Army?

Lieutenant-Colonel AMERY

The regulations upon which King's African Rifles officers serve provide that officers invalided to this country before completing twenty months' resident service in East Africa receive, as from the date on which they leave East Africa, six days on full King's African Rifles pay, in respect of each completed month of resident service, and thereafter, pay at British Army rates together with British Army ration allowance and British Army children's allowance, where applicable. British Army lodging allowance is not issuable to King's African Rifles officers when on British Army rates of pay. A comparison between the position of King s African Rifles officers and that of British Army officers founded on the issue or non-issue of lodging allowance is misleading as the basis of their pay is different. King's African Rifles officers when in East Africa receive pay at consolidated rates, which, together with a war bonus which has recently been granted to them with effect from 1st October, 1917, generally places them in a favourable position financially as compared with British Army officers drawing pay at British Army rates.