§ Sir F. BANBURYasked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that an official of his Department, an accountant by profession, is using Government stationery and Government offices for the purposes of his business; that on the 16th of this month this official wrote a letter, enclosing a dividend of 10d. in the £ in respect of a certain debt, on Government paper with a request to address the reply to personal, room 422; and what steps he intends to take to stop such practices?
§ Mr. McCURDYI have made inquiry into the matter referred to by the right hon. Baronet, and I find that on Saturday, 16th October, the date in question, an accountant employed in my Department did write on Government notepaper 1981W certain letters in connection with the liquidation of a small insolvent estate. He used his own envelopes and postage stamps. The accountant has been admonished, and has expressed his regret. In view of the fact that pressure of work in connection with the emergency had compelled him to remain at the Ministry of Food late on Friday night and throughout Saturday and Sunday, and that it was under these exceptional circumstances that the misuse of Government notepaper occurred, no drastic action will be taken. I would point out that the regulations of the Ministry stringently prohibit any such misuse of Government stationery and time, and it is believed that in normal times these regulations are strictly observed.