§ MR. THORNE ( West Ham, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to a statement made by William Page to the stipendiary at the West Ham Police Court, on Tuesday, 25th June, when he was sentenced to three months for stealing a roll of oilcloth, that he had been going straight until a constable informed his employer that he was an ex-convict, the result being that he was dismissed from his work, which caused him to steal the oilcloth; and whether it is the duty of police constables to inform employers as to whether any of their employees have been sent to prison.
§ THE SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. GLAD STONE, Leeds, W.)I am making inquiries into this case. I shall be glad if the hon. Member can furnish me with the name or number of the officer concerned, or the name of the employer, and then perhaps he will put down a further Question.