§ Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies 54W whether he has yet received from the Government of Jamaica the Report regarding the rates of pensions for noncommissioned officers and men of the British West Indies Regiment; and which of the West Indian Colonies have already agreed to supplement the maximum pension payable from Imperial funds, namely, 14s. a week, or in special cases 17s. 6d. per week, from local funds?
§ Lieut.-Colonel AMERYProposals for amending the authorised scale of pensions have been received from the Governor of Jamaica and are receiving consideration. I regret that the information available does not enable me to give a complete answer to the second part of the question; but, when a decision is arrived at in regard to the proposals from Jamaica, the other West Indian Colonies will be consulted. The charge for pensions is borne by Imperial funds in the case of Jamaica, that Colony having undertaken to make a contribution of £60,000 a year for forty years towards the expenses of the War. Otherwise the full charges for pensions in respect of the British West Indies Regiment are, in general, defrayed from the local funds of the respective Colonies.