§ Lieut.-Commander Joynson-Hicksasked the Secretary of State for India why officers of the Indian Army, with over 30 years' service, who are invalided home, are required to pay for their passage at the full rate; and if he will grant free transport to officers of the Indian Army on active service, who require it, in the course of their duties.
§ Mr. AmeryThe existing passage concessions for regular officers of the Indian Army were introduced in 1925, and provided for the opening of a passage account to the officer's credit to cover the cost of passages taken on ordinary leave, on sick leave, or on retirement from the Service. The number of passages varied according to the officer's age in 1925. If the officer exhausts this account in the earlier years of his service he must pay for subsequent passages himself. When, however, an officer is invalided home from a theatre of active military operations, he is given a free passage independent of the passage account. The reply to the second part is that if an Indian Army officer is travelling on duty he receives free transport.