asked the Secretary of State for war if he will take steps to ensure that British sergeants, now being compulsorily transferred from the Indian Army Corps of Clerks to the R.A.S.C., shall not suffer a reduction of pay owing to such transfer.

There is no question of compulsory transfer in this case. Except for some senior ranks who are pensionable by age and service and cannot be absorbed into the British service, all concerned are to be offered the alternatives of discharge with pension or gratuity as applicable under the current regulations, or voluntary transfer to the British service which would of course mean serving on British rates of pay and allowances.