§ 47. Mr. Lewisasked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is aware that John Reginald Christie was enrolled, in 1921, as a temporary postman; that, during his service, he was found guilty of stealing and embezzlement, sentenced to three months' imprisonment and yet, in 1947, was again employed as a clerk in the General Post Office Savings Department; 1240 and what steps are taken by his Department to prevent the continued employment of persons with criminal records.
§ Mr. GammansYes, Sir. John R. Christie succeeded, in May, 1946, in obtaining employment as a temporary clerk in the Post Office Savings Department by making false statements in his application form. In April, 1950, when his true record was revealed, he was dismissed. The practice is to engage temporary staff only through the Ministry of Labour employment exchanges, which, so far as possible, verify the man's past record. In this case the criminal conviction some 25 years earlier did not come to light.
§ Mr. LewisSurely it should not have taken the Post Office three years to have found that out? Surely they do something other than simply accept a form and the statements that it contains. Do they not make some inquiry?
§ Mr. GammansI do not know whether the hon. Member is recommending that we should have a compulsory system of thumb prints. In this case, all steps were taken to find out the man's record from his previous employers.