§ Mr. FIELDasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the workmen employed in the Army Ordnance Department at Island Bridge are searched by soldiers on leaving the place of work each day at midday and evening, which frequently incurs the loss of five minutes at dinner time to the workmen; whether he can state why an officer has ordered a workman's lunch to be opened in his presence at the searching place; and if anything in the way of public property has been found in the possession of the workmen during the years the system has been operation?
§ Mr. HALDANEWorkmen employed at Island Bridge are searched by non-commissioned officers on leaving the place of work each morning and evening, and there is a loss to men selected for search of from one minute to two minutes. An officer directed that a parcel containing food should be opened in order to make sure that the employee was not removing Government property. No public property has been found in the possession of the employees during the years the system has been in force. The system of searching employees was instituted it 1903 owing to a case of theft.