§ Mr. Thorneasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can give any information in connection with the case made out against Antoinette Suzanne Ascough, of Buckingham Road, Brighton; how she obtained 80,000 children's supplementary clothing coupons; and what action he intends taking to prevent a repetition of this occurrence?
§ Mr. MabaneAntoinette Suzanne As-cough was prosecuted by the police on two charges of stealing 80,000 clothing coupons the property of the Board of Trade and of unlawfully transferring 69,000 coupons to Clarence Leo Swarbrick. She was sentenced to three years' penal servitude. She was at the time a local food enforcement inspector at Brighton, and stole the coupons from the Brighton Food Office where they were stored. Her employment had been terminated before the facts of this case came to light. Early this year special steps were instituted for improving the arrangements for storing ration documents and diminishing the possibilities of theft. This matter is being urgently pursued and will, I think, achieve the result my hon. Friend desires.