§ Brigadier-General CROFTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether his attention has been called to the fact that Mr. C. J. Hankinson, the Sueprintendent of the Archives Registry of the Ministry of Munitions, has been dismissed from his post and deprived of his authority within 24 hours of pressing for an impartial inquiry into charges of grave irregularity on the part of a subordinate official; and can he make a statement on this matter?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYIn common with a large number of temporary officials, Mr. Hankinson is being released with full notice in order to effect reduction of staff. Mr. Hankinson asked for the enquiry referred to, not prior to his release, as suggested in the question, but five days after he had received notice of the termination of his temporary appointment. This notice was in no way connected with the subject of the enquiry. In order to ensure the efficient carrying on of the work it was necessary to appoint a successor as soon as possible, and this was done four days after the date on which the request for the enquiry was made.