Mr. F. HALLasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the regulation of the Colonial Service which prohibits all salaried public officers, whether or not their whole time is at the disposal of the Government, from speculating in the shares of or being connected with any company, occupation, or undertaking which might bring their private interests into real or apparent conflict with their public duties, or in any way influence them in the discharge of their duties, was made; whether the regulation arose out of any specific case of impropriety; and if any case has arisen in which it was necessary to put the regulation into force?
Mr. HARCOURTThe original regulations on the subject go back many years. The Colonial Regulations are subjected to revision from time to time, but the one to which the hon. Member refers has not 905W been materially altered since the year 1903, when it was introduced to render the older regulation more definite and precise. I am not aware of the circumstances in which the regulation was originally promulgated, and I could not say without an exhaustive search in what cases (if any) action has been taken under it. The regulation is well known to all officers in the Colonial Service and is generally, I believe, loyally observed by them.