Mr. Pritttasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the rates of pay of Palestinian Allied soldiers are approximately two-thirds of those of British troops; how their pension rights compare with those of the British; and whether he will take steps to put an end to the discrepancies between the pay and pension rights of the two forces?
§ Sir J. GriggIt is the established policy for the rates of pay and pensions of soldiers of many colonial forces (including the Palestine Regiment) to be fixed at rates lower than those of British units in respect of service in their own country. I am not aware of any sufficient reason to alter this policy. The pay of the Palestine Regiment is rather over three-quarters of British rates and is raised to full British rates during any service outside Palestine; the pension rates are two-thirds of British rates.