§ 45. Sir John Mellorasked the Prime Minister when he decided that the responsibility of the Minister of Labour to consider prosecutions under the Conditions of Employment and National Arbitration Order should in practice be transferred to the Attorney-General.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)It has become the practice for the question of prosecutions in such cases to be considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions. No particular date can be assigned to the commencement of this practice.
§ Sir J. MellorWould the Prime Minister agree that the Minister of Labour and the Attorney-General both claimed responsibility, at least until 19th September, and is that the reason why, until the recent gas strike prosecution, neither of them did anything?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I am replying to the Question asked by the hon. Member. The practice has grown up of leaving this to the Director of Public Prosecutions.