§ Mr. Cooperasked the Secretary of State for War what information was given to Mr. H. R. Sandford in War Office letters, dated 19th July and 26th September, 1934, regarding the award of retired pay under the Royal Warrant for pay, and in a letter, dated 9th October, 1934, regarding a further award representing Indian element of pension; and what reference was made in these letters to the provisional nature of the arrangements.
§ Mr. SoamesThe first letter said that Mr. Sandford would be granted 50 per cent. of the retired pay to which he would have been entitled if he had retired from the Army. The second letter gave details of the award, which was to be £164 15s. 0d. a year, and explained how that figure was determined. The third letter said that an additional £56 5s. 0d. a year had been authorised to represent the Indian element of the pension.
The awards were not said to be provisional but the second letter said that the rate was subject to revision; this was because at that time the amount of all pensions under the Royal Warrant of 1931 could be varied according to the cost of living.