§ 31. Mr. Sargoodasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will inquire into the case of Mr. Gordon Fellowes, who claims to have resigned from a£700 a year post as welfare officer under the London County Council in protest against the present system of dealing with children brought before the juvenile courts, and to have made a recording of a conversation between the police, a young 2314 girl and her mother, and to have been visited by the police and by an official of his Department; and whether he has any statement to make.
§ Mr. EdeI have seen the newspaper reports referred to. Fellowes has since been seen by the police and has admitted that the statements which he made to the Press are untrue. He has been from time to time employed temporarily by the London County Council in subordinate capacities, but not as a welfare officer or at any salary approaching£700 a year; he had made no recording of any conversation between the police and a young girl, nor had he been visited by a Home Office official or prior to his statement by the police. As these mischievous statements have received a certain amount of publicity, I am obliged to my hon. Friend for giving me an opportunity of refuting them.