71. Mr. F. HALL (Dulwich)asked the Home Secretary whether Sir Charles Bruce addressed a petition to the Crown praying for relief from the cause of delay in submitting evidence on the security of tenure of Civil Servants to the Royal Commission; if so, when such petition was received and the terms thereof; by whom the matter was dealt with; and when a reply was sent thereto?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)Sir Charles Bruce, on the 8th of January last, forwarded to me a petition to His Majesty, but I do not find in it any reference to the submission of evidence to the Royal Commission on the Civil Service. The petition was received in the Home Office on the 10th of January, was submitted to the King, and was, on the 22nd of January, referred by His Majesty's command to the Board of Education to be dealt with. I understand from my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Education that a reply was sent to Sir Charles Bruce on the 6th of March. In view of the answer given by my right hon. Friend yesterday to the hon. Member, I do not think it would be proper for me to state the contents of the petition.