§ Mr. BOWERMANasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether signallers in the Royal Engineers are being pressed to re-enlist; whether he is aware that these men on re-enlistment were promised full civil pay in addition to military pay and allowances; whether the Government subsequently, without consultation with the men, have decided that the gratuity on discharge will not be paid; and whether, as the services of these men are essential to the maintenance of an efficient military, organisation, he will promise full civil pay, including war bonus, in addition to all Army emoluments, including gratuities, to all men re-enlisting?
[A question in similar terms, addressed to the Postmaster-General, stood on the Paper in the name of Mr. BOWERMAN.]
§ Mr. BALDWINThe answer to the second and third parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the first part, I should explain, that there are two classes of service to be considered—voluntary service in the Army of Occupation and re-enlistment for a fixed term of two, three, or four years, under the Milner bounty scheme. In view of the 1803W need of men with these technical qualifications in the Army of Occupation, it has been decided that men who volunteer, as well as men who are compulsorily retained, for service in the Postal and Signal Sections of the Royal Engineers in that Army shall be allowed to draw full civil salary in addition to military pay and allowances on precisely the same conditions as before. It is not intended to sanction the payment to such men either of the Civil Service war bonus or of the soldiers' war gratuity; and I would remind the hon. Member that the grant of the Army of Occupation bonus already raises their total emoluments considerably above the amount they were drawing before the 1st February. The question of the terms to be offered to Civil servants serving in these sections who wish to re-enlist under the Milner bounty scheme is still under consideration.