§ 43. Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that when Mr. Nicol Stephenson of Brown Street, Highfield, Rowlands Gill, County Durham, applied at the Blaydon Employment Exchange for employment, there was included in the employment records kept at the exchange a Press cutting referring to a court case five years previously in which Mr. 224W Stephenson was involved; and whether he will give directions that such records are not to be kept.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithIt is the policy of my Department not to obtain, retain or use for employment purposes information given in the Press about registrants. I am satisfied that in this case the Press cutting, which was five years old, did not adversely affect the action recently taken to find suitable work for the man concerned. Nevertheless, I am arranging for all employment officers to be reminded of this policy and to be given specific instructions as to its observance.