asked the Home Secretary whether he has investigated the complaint brought to his notice concerning the dismissal of an employé by a certain firm in Banbury on allegations based on hearsay and reflecting upon the employés loyalty; and what has been the result of these inquiries?

The inquiries which I caused to be made in this matter showed that it was one entirely between the employé and her employers. I have no authority to intervene in any way. I may add that careful inquiries by the local police failed to substantiate the allegations reflecting on the employé's loyalty.

In view of the fact that in this case, in which my right hon. Friend accepts that there was no foundation for the allegation, the employer was able legally to terminate an employé's employment without giving a reason and to spread rumours, will my right hon. Friend look into the problem of how a man or woman can defend his or her honour against such charges?

I will do so, but it seems to me that the question involves the relationships between workmen and employers, which probably is more properly a matter for the Ministry of Labour. My hon. Friend will have seen, however, that at the end of my Answer I said that careful inquiries by the local police have failed to substantiate the allegations reflecting on the employé's loyalty. I hope that may be a helpful observation.