§ Sir HERBERT NIELDasked the Sceretary of State for War whether civilian acting paymasters are entitled to a gratuity equivalent to that given to a temporary commissioned officer under paragraphs 496 and 497 of the Royal Pay Warrant; are they also entitled to a war bonus equivalent to that granted to a temporary commissioned officer serving in the Army of Occupation under Army Orders 54, 1919, and 55, 1919, as amplified by Army Order VI., dated 15th February, 1919, having regard to the fact that they do the same work and in substance occupy the same position as a temporary commissioned acting paymaster; if they are not so entitled, what is the reason for the discrimination of pay if the work is equal; and whether he will, in the interest of discipline, take steps to have the grievance remedied, seeing that the salaries of these men are less than the pay and allowances of a staff-sergeant in the Army Pay Corps with two children?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThese civilians are doing accounting work which is in no sense military, although those performing similar work in theatres of war are commissioned for reasons of discipline. They are voluntarily serving under a civil contract in which their emoluments are clearly defined, and are not entitled to the gratuities of officers under the Pay Warrant, or to the bonus given to officers and men compulsorily retained in the Armies of Occupation. As I stated on the 4th March in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Woolwich West, I am considering the possibility of giving them some form of gratuity outside the terms of their contracts.