HC Deb 14 October 1943 vol 392 c1040
36. Mr. Edmund Harvey

asked the Home Secretary how many first offenders under 21 years of age have been sent to prison without the option of a fine for refusal to take up employment as directed and for absenteeism or lateness, respectively, during the 12 months ended the 31st August, 1943; and in how many cases of this nature the offender was placed on probation?

Mr. H. Morrison

I regret that all the information asked for is not available. New methods of classifying returns have recently been adopted, and at present I can only give figures for the first four months of this year. The statistics do not enable me to distinguish between first and other offenders or to give separate figures for the different offences under the same Defence Regulation. In the four months January to April this year 331 persons between the ages of 17 and 21 years were found guilty of offences under Defence Regulation 58A. Of these, 33 were sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine and 12 were placed on probation.

Mr. Harvey

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Lord Chancellor has recently said that it is very undesirable to send young persons to prison for a short period, and could he not use his influence to see whether these young offenders, many of whom offend through ignorance, could be dealt with differently?

Mr. Morrison

I think it must depend on the nature and extent of the offences, and I do not like interfering with the courts in the exercising of their discretion if I can avoid it.

Mr. George Griffiths

Are any of those sent to prison directors convicted for being late or absent?