§ 5. Mr. Thorneasked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered a copy of a letter to the manager of the Basingstoke Employment Exchange that was sent to him by the manager of a firm of clothiers, of Newbury, who had prosecuted a man for embezzlement in a case heard at the Basingstoke police court on Wednesday last; whether he is aware of the comments made at the police court by the magistrate; whether the manager of the exchange sent any reply to the writer of the letter; and whether he intends taking any action in the matter?
§ Mr. E. BrownI presume the hon. Member refers to replies given to the usual inquiries which were addressed to the employer in this case in connection with a claim for unemployment benefit. The claim has been decided by the Court of Referees, who had the employer's replies and the Press report of the police court proceedings before them. The answers to the two last parts of the question are in the negative.
§ Mr. ThorneDo I understand, from the Minister's reply, that he has received a copy of the letter from the employers to the Employment Exchange; and is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that that letter was very libellous in character? Has any reply been sent to it from the Employment Exchange?
§ Mr. BrownI have said that the answer to the last part of that question is in the negative. As the hon. Member knows, the case is a very difficult and complicated one, and I daresay he is also aware that 3278 the person concerned is a member of an association, which has a right of appeal for him.
§ Mr. ThorneAs a matter of fact the manager ought to be "pinched" for sending such a letter.