§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any steps have been taken, in accordance with the original despatch on reforms by the Indian Government, to permit officers at present in the provincial services who, like their colleagues in the covenanted services, find their position intolerable owing to the reforms, to receive proportionate pensions; and whether he is aware that there are a considerable number of Englishmen in these services anxiously waiting a decision of the Indian Government?
§ Mr. RICHARDSIt is true that the original proposals of the Government of India for the grant of proportionate pensions 2427W in the last resort to an officer who found his position under the reforms intolerable were not limited in their scope to any one class of officers, nor was the similar recommendation of the Joint Committee on the Bill of 1919. The general offer of retirement on proportionate pensions on a prescribed scale which was published in 1921, was, however, limited to members of the All-India Services in recognition of the greater degree of responsibility of the Secretary of State for India for those Services with the members of which he has in fact as well as in theory entered into contract.