§ 71. Mr. GWYNNEasked the Home Secretary whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the Report submitted to the Home Office in regard to false statements and inaccuracies made by the firm of Haigh, Grüban and company, Limited, a controlled munition firm?
Mr. SAMUELThe Home Office Advisory Committee in its Report on Grüban's proposed internment declined to enter into the charges made by the Ministry of Munitions against the company of contravening its Regulations.
§ Mr. GWYNNEDid they not issue a Report?
§ 72 and 90. Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEasked (1) the Home Secretary whether any hon. Member of this House is connected with the firm of Haigh, Grüban and Company, Limited, a controlled munition firm; and (2) the Minister of Munitions who was the chairman and managing director of Haigh, Gréban and Company, Limited, a controlled munition firm, at the time that a solicitor was sent down and reported many breaches of rules and regulations and a number of false statement; and whether the firm is still under the management of the same chairman and managing director?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of MUNITIONS (Dr. Addison)My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to these questions. At the time when the investigations referred to were made, the Member for Pontefract (Mr. Booth) was chairman of the directors of the firm of Haigh, Grüban and Com- 848 pany, and Mr. Grübari was managing director. Mr. Grüban is no longer a member of the board, and, as I have already stated, a supervisor is stationed at the works on behalf of the Ministry of Munitions. The Member for Pontefract is still chairman, and is now also managing director.
§ Mr. GWYNNEAre we to understand that the hon. Member for Pontefract was managing director and chairman at the time that these irregularities were reported?
§ Dr. ADDISONNo, Sir; the hon. Member for Pontefract was chairman and Mr. Grüban was managing director.
§ Mr. BOOTHIs my right hon. Friend aware that this is not the title of the company and that upon my advice they changed its name in July to Haighs (Oldham), Limited; that, it is now an entirely British firm engaged on urgent and important work, both for the British and French Governments, in connection with war material, and that it has no German in its employ or in its composition at the present time? Is he also aware that since I took over the management the company has got rid of these naturalised Germans, and that all the Regulations have been fully complied with?
§ Mr. GWYNNEMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman did not say to me that the hon. Member was chairman of the company at the time the irregularities were reported?
§ Dr. ADDISONI believe the firm has changed its name, but I do not at the moment know what it is.