Dr. Morganasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the evidence given before a recent session of the Appeal Tribunal of the county of London,. that a Captain-Peel, an officer on active service, visited a shop in the West End of London in company with a Board of Trade official and acted as an agent provocateur in an endeavour to obtain a coat or coats without clothing coupons, tempting the firm's employee to break regulations; whether 648W this was done with his approval; whether this officer received remuneration from the Board of Trade; and whether it is proposed to allow Army officers to act in such a capacity in the future?
§ Sir J. GriggThe officer referred to originally called at the shop in question to make inquiries about the purchase of a coat for a friend. He was offered a coat coupon free. Knowing this to be illegal he communicated with the police and later visited the shop again with one of the Board of Trade's enforcement officers. Evidence was then obtained on which the firm and its secretary were convicted. The officer acted on his own initiative from a sense of public duty and received no remuneration.