HC Deb 28 April 1920 vol 128 cc1241-2W
Captain BOWYER

asked the Secretary of State for War and Air whether, seeing that the cost of living has increased by 130 per cent., why the retired pay in the British Army by the Royal Warrant of 13th September, 1919, was only raised by 30 per cent.; will he stats the principle on which this increase was based; and when the retired pay will be made to correspond with the increased cost of living?

Sir A. WILLIAMSON

The hon. and gallant Member appears to be under some misapprehension as to the nature of an officer's retired pay. It is not intended to be what is called a living wage, seeing that it may be given to a Healthy man in early middle age The few scale was approved by His Majesty's Government after full consideration, and there is no intention of further increasing it. I am unable to accept the description of the new scale as an increase of 30 per cent.