§ 30. Sir R. COOPERasked the Home Secretary if a person of the name of Markbreiter is, or has recently been, employed at the Home Office; is he of German descent; has he been engaged in that work of the Department dealing with aliens; and, if so, what was the position he held? May I say that since I put this question down I have ascertained that the gentleman referred to is not of German descent, and I regret the suggestion that his employment was in any way objectionable.
§ Sir J. SIMONI am very much obliged to the hon. Baronet. Mr. Markbreiter is acting as a senior clerk in the Home Office, which he entered by open competition in 1908. He is a natural-born British subject. I understand that his father, who is now dead, was of Austrian origin, but became a naturalised British subject more than twenty years ago. Mr. Markbreiter is not in the Department dealing with aliens, but in the Department concerned with trading with the enemy. He has been engaged in this work since the beginning of the War, and has rendered most useful service. I can assure the House that the loss of so experienced and devoted a public servant would weaken the Department, and would thus be of material assistance to the enemy.