JUSTICE Secretary Chris Grayling was called on to apologise yesterday for insulting a probation worker who complained after bosses picked her for privatisation by pulling her name from a hat.

Gwen MacDonald was astonished when she was told that the decision to transfer her to the private sector after 20 years’ service had been decided by a lottery.

The former South Yorkshire Probation Trust worker received an email from HR manager Angela Tinker confirming that the selection process saw employee numbers “drawn out of a hat by a panel of three.”

But when Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins tried to raise the issue in the Commons Mr Grayling arrogantly dismissed her complaint as “absolute nonsense.”

Mr Perkins again attempted to confront the minister on Wednesday but was handed a scrawled note from Mr Grayling saying: “You can raise it all you like — selection was not done by drawing names out of the hat.”

The Tory frontbencher claimed that the process had been “based on what the balance of work staff had been doing was.”

Now Mr Perkins has written back enclosing evidence that punctures the minister’s claim.

He has demanded that the Tory minister personally apologise to Ms MacDonald and urged him to launch an investigation.

Mr Perkins described the method used as “shocking.”

“It’s a shambolic conclusion to a worrying process,” he said.

“Grayling has consistently denied that this is even happening.”

Probation workers union Napo said it had received 2,000 grievances over the way the hated privatisation plans are being forced upon its members.