§ 28. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Home Secretary if he has received a complaint from George McMillan, employed in the Home Office scheme at Witton White-houses, Ewesley, near Morpeth, complaining of an unprovoked assault upon him by the agent at this camp; and will he say what steps are being taken to protect the men against such treatment?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Brace)The Committee has received a 268 complaint from this man, but the agent contradicts his statements, and in view of McMillan's record, both at Ewesley and at Princetown, the Committee cannot accept his version of the occurrence. He has been sent back to Princetown.
§ 29. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state why Thomas Farnworth, a conscientious objector who has been offered the exceptional employment scheme, has had the condition imposed that he cannot take employment in the cotton trade, in which he is a qualified operative, and that he must seek employment at least 25 miles away from his home; will he say why these conditions have been imposed in this case seeing that they are no part of the regulations governing the employment of conscientious objectors under this scheme; and will he withdraw the conditions in this case?
§ Mr. BRACEThe conditions named have been imposed because Farnworth is physically fit for more active work than cotton-spinning, and because difficulties have been created where men have been allowed to take up exceptional employment in the neighbourhood of their old homes. Farnworth himself proposed some months ago that when he was qualified for exceptional employment he should take up work as a farm labourer. Under the Rules the Committee have full discretion to grant or withhold authority to take up exceptional employment, and I cannot withdraw the conditions imposed in this case.