asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and the Colonies what representations he has received from the United Kingdom Citizens' Association about the financial problems of the retired officers and officers' widows and other ranks who are British citizens and who remained in India after independence; and if he will give assistance to the Association to enable it to help these persons.

None, Sir. The second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

As my right hon. Friend has ducked this Question, will my hon. Friend ask my right hon. Friend to fight the battle for these people with the Treasury? I have a great respect for my right hon. Friend's courage, but I wish that he would exercise it on the Treasury instead of in other aspects of our Commonwealth life? Many of these people have been extremely badly treated by the Treasury, which I am sure is not my right hon. Friend's wish, so why does not he get on with putting a bit of real stimulus under the Treasury to do what ought to be done?

If my hon. Friend is referring—

To everything.

—to the inability of those resident in India to receive pensions increases under British legislation, I can only reply that this is a problem which has been very carefully considered on many occasions. A great many factors are involved, and it has not been found feasible.

So much the worse.