§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a discharged soldier named Whitelock, who has two artificial legs and is training at the Government training factory, New Basford, Nottingham, had 38. 9d. deducted for being thirty-five minutes late on the morning of 14th February; whether the man's explanation that his progress on the cycle which he uses was, by reason of his great disability, much hampered by a high wind should have been accepted as a reasonable cause of his lateness; and whether he will request the manager of the factory to reconsider his case and refund the deduction?
§ Mr. PARKERI find on inquiry that the deduction referred to consisted of two sums of 6d. and 3s. 3d. forfeited on the 7th and 10th respectively, not for the reasons quoted by the hon. and gallant Member, but because on the first occasion Whitelock arrived late at the factory, explaining that he had overslept himself, and on the second occasion failed to attend at all and did not offer any excuse or explanation. I may add that since Whitelock started training he has lost time on twelve occasions and been excused on eight of them. No deduction would have been made from this trainee if the circumstances had been such as those mentioned by the hon. and gallant Member.