88. Mr. F. HALLasked if Mr. Taylor, the Post Office engineer, who was reduced owing to his dealing in a small number of Marconi shares, purchased the shams outright, or whether he carried them over by arrangement with his broker; what are the dates when he purchased and sold the shares in question; and if, with a view to preventing such cases arising in future, the Postmaster-General has issued instructions warning officers in his Department of the consequences of speculating in shares as the result of private information which they owe to their position as public servants?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe particulars asked for in the first two parts of the question will be found in Mr. Taylor's evidence before the Select Committee on the Marconi Contract, Questions 8084 et sequitur, now published as a Parliamentary Paper. I consider that the action taken in this matter constitutes a sufficient warning to officers in my Department.
Mr. F. HALLMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he does not think it would have been better to have left the question of punishment of this officer in abeyance until the Report of the Committee?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNo, Sir, the Committee cannot possibly deal with the matter. It is a question affecting the conduct of a member of the Civil Service, and it is not within the Committee's reference.