asked the Minister of Labour the number of employers and workers, separately, up to the last available date who have been prosecuted and imprisoned, respectively, for offences against the industrial code which were not punishable before the outbreak of the present war.

Up to 29th February, 1944, 127 employers and 23,517 workers were prosecuted in England and Wales for the offences mentioned in the Question. No employers were sentenced to imprisonment; 1,807 workers were so sentenced.

Can my right hon. Friend explain how it is that so many workers are sent to prison while no employers are sent to prison for offending against the same industrial code?

The question of what sentence is imposed upon any citizen is a matter for the courts.