§ 24. Mr. Douglas Marshallasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the entitlement of accommodation in space and rooms for a chief control officer in Germany and also for a control officer, Grade 3; similarly, what is the allocation of space allowed to Germans.
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. John Hynd)The scales of married quarters for civilian officers of the Control Commission for Germany are still under consideration. Single quarters are allocated on scales similar to those applicable to army officers of equivalent rank. A chief control officer is entitled, in theory, to a sitting room, if available, of 200 square feet and a bedroom of 150 square feet, and a control officer III a bed-sitting room of 300 square feet, but in the special conditions in Germany accommodation actually provided is normally greatly below entitlement. In addition officers share the use of a mess and ante-room. There are no standard allocations of space to Germans.
§ 27. Mr. Prittasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why a control officer, Grade I, whose name has been 1223 given to him, with 21 years' engineering experience, is now being employed in the control office as a chief clerk sorting letters at a total pay of over a £1,000 a year.
§ Mr. J. HyndThe officer in question is employed in the Control Commission in Germany, not in the Control Office. The work on which he was originally engaged has now been handed over to Germans, and he is under consideration for transfer to another branch. It is the practice in the Hanover Region for new staff to serve two to four weeks in statistical and information rooms to enable them to learn something of the lay-out of local industries and Government. The work may involve a certain amount of routine clerical duties.
§ Mr. PrittIn view of the high technical qualifications and trade union experience of this man, will the Minister take particular care that he is not victimised by people who are attempting to victimise him at present?
§ Mr. HyndI do not see why I should be required to give a guarantee of non-victimisation in any particular case, unless there is a suggestion of the possibility of victimisation. This officer was recruited for his engineering experience for a technical job which is now redundant, because of the amount of work which is being handed over to the Germans. The question of his transfer to another branch, in which his particular experience and qualifications will fit in, is under consideration.
§ Mr. PrittWill the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the reason why this man should not be victimised is that the hon. Gentleman himself has already promised me orally that he would not be victimsed whereas, in fact, he has been?
§ 32. Mr. Stokesasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were the qualifications of Mr. Dyson, chief of the commerce division, prior to joining the Control Commission for Germany, for the post which he now holds.
§ Mr. J. HyndMr. Dyson has a long record of successful business operation in the United Kingdom. He was appointed to the Control Commission for Germany about a year ago to take charge of the Commerce Branch of Trade and Industry Division. It was because of his 1224 success as head of that branch that he was appointed Chief of the newly formed Commerce Division in December last.
§ Mr. StokesBut business covers a multitude of sins. Can my hon. Friend say what kind of activity this man was engaged in, because I have not the slightest idea?
§ 34. Mr. Sharpasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the number of staff employed by the Control Office for Germany and Austria in 1946–47 which compares with the estimate of 2,373 for 1947–48.
§ Mr. J. HyndThe comparable figure was about 2,450.
§ 38. Major Tufton Beamishasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether Control Commission in Germany personnel, who receive invitations from Germans in Germany to stay with them, are allowed to accept the invitations.
§ Mr. J. HyndNo, Sir; not at present, but the question is under consideration.
§ 39. Mr. Gammansasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he is aware that the allowances being paid to Mrs. J. A. Thompson, 8, Granville Road, N.4, have now been stopped; that the family have no means except the tuberculosis grant; and why there has been a delay of two months in dealing with this urgent matter.
§ Mr. J. HyndYes, Sir. Mr. Thompson has now had the full three months' paid sick leave to which he was entitled. It has not been possible to reach an earlier decision owing to the very full and careful investigation which has been made into all the circumstances of the case. The medical report has now been received from Germany, and a decision should be possible in the next few days.
§ Mr. GammansIs the hon. Gentleman admitting that it takes over two months before he can give a decision in an urgent matter of this sort? Must I put down Questions week after week, in order to get elementary justice for a family in my constituency which is rapidly becoming destitute?
§ Mr. HyndIt would be simple enough to give a decision in a short time, but in matters of this kind I think it is in the interests of the person concerned that we should make a full investigation to ascertain whether or not he has a claim.
§ Mr. GammansDoes the hon. Gentleman accept liablity for the fact that this man contracted tuberculosis as a result of his work in Germany for the Control Commission?