§ Colonel YATEasked the Secretary of State for India what steps have been taken to increase the pre-War pensions of distressed widows and dependants of officers of the Indian Army, both of those under the Indian Military Service Family Pensions Fund and of those under the older Presidency Military Funds the assets of which were taken over by the Government?
§ Mr. MONTAGUPensions under the Indian Military Service Family Pension Regulations have been temporarily increased by 25 per cent. for 5 years from the 1st January, 1920, owing to increase in the rate of interest allowed on the half-yearly balances, the increase having no relation to the financial circumstances of the pensioners. I am still considering in consultation with the Government of India the possibility of dealing more or less on the lines of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1920, with small pensions from Indian revenues inclusive of pensions from the various Indian Family Pension 1369W Funds, civil and military. Some further delay is likely to arise as, owing to the many thousands of small pensions payable in India, the Government of India are obliged to take into full consideration the Indian aspect of the case, since any increase would be at the expense of Indian revenues.