§ 50. Brigadier - General CLIFTON BROWNasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Customs and Excise Horticultural Society are using officially-franked Government envelopes and notepaper provided for departmental use for the transaction of their private business with tradesmen; and whether this is done with official sanction?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI am informed that there is no foundation for the allegation in my hon. and gallant Friend's question.
Brigadier-General BROWNDoes the hon. Member know that I have the foundation in my own hands now in the correspondence which has been going on between the Federated Ironmongers' Association and a Government body? May I bring it to his notice?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHACertainly. If the Federated Ironmongers' Association write to the Chairman of Customs and Excise they receive an official reply and I cannot understand why it should be made a matter of complaint.
Brigadier-General BROWNWhen the official reply is on a matter of private business is it right to use the premises and the paper of the Department to the detriment of the interests of traders?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIt was not on private business. The Ironmongers' Federation wrote to the chairman in his official capacity and complained of a certain matter, and the chairman in the exercise of his official duty replied officially in a franked envelope. That was quite normal.
Brigadier-General BROWNIs the Customs and Excise Horticultural Society a public or a private enterprise?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThat has nothing to do with the matter. A complaint was made that this society was existing and carrying on its activities in a certain way, and complaint was made to the Chairman of the Customs authorities. He was approached officially, and therefore be replied in the same capacity. He could not reply in his private capacity.
Brigadier-General BROWNIs the hon. Member aware that the first part of this correspondence arose from the society writing to the ironmongers?