§ 3.55 p.m.
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD DRUMALBYN)My Lords, I hope it will be for the convenience of noble Lords if I now repeat a Statement which has been made on restrictions on electricity by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Statement is as follows:
"No major change has taken place in the rate of deterioration in the overall energy supply pattern I outlined to the House on Monday night. Stocks of coal, lighting up fuel and necessary chemicals available to the C.E.G.B. have diminished as anticipated, with 325 denial of available and necessary supplies still continuing as a result of unwillingness of other union members to cross picket lines. Load met yesterday was 23,500 megawatts. The combined effects of the statutory restrictions, the rota disconnections and the public response to the appeal for economy has been to reduce the consumption of coal at power stations by about 35 per cent. This is good but the effort must be intensified. I urge all concerned to do so.
"I must plan on the assumption of no early relief in the situation, much as I hope it will occur. I will therefore be giving directions for further restrictions in consumption to take effect on Wednesday of next week: details will he made available as soon as possible after the completion of consultations presently in hand. They will affect industrial, commercial and domestic users.
"Assuming no relief in the situation, these restrictions will allow supply to be maintained throughout next week at the still further reduced level, before reaching the point where we will be down to non-coal generated capacity—equal to 20–25 per cent. of normal load—and sufficient only to meet the essential services of the country, with cirtually nothing available for other users, domestic or industrial. If essential materials currently denied to the C.E.G.B. were made available, then the time by which this basic, essential services only ' level would be reached would be extended by seven to ten days.
"If there were resumption of work early next week in the coal mines, I would expect the new restricted level of consumption to need to be maintained for a comparatively short time, after which there would be a progressive easement of the situation though, as I have previously said, restriction of supply is likely to be required for several weeks after the coal mines are back in production. I will continue to keep the House informed of developments."
My Lords, that is the end of the Statement.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, we are most grateful to the noble Lord for 326 repeating this Statement. I must first say that I appreciate the first sentence in the second paragraph of the Statement which says:
I must plan on the assumption of no early relief in the situation, much as I hope it will occur.If only this degree of prudence had been shown about three weeks or so ago, how much better placed we should have been to meet the present emergency! On the effect of the difficulties so far, may I ask what are the latest figures of workers laid off, as of to-day, and what is the anticipated number if the further cuts have to be made next week? May I also ask the noble Lord what arrangements have been made to distribute priority supplies to old-age pensioners and other needy persons? Is the noble Lord aware that the miners themselves have gone to immense trouble, voluntarily and on their own initiative, in the coalfields to arrange for supplies of coal to many old-age pensioners? I wonder what the Government themselves have done in this regard. Also may I ask the noble Lord, since he told us last time that there had been consultations with industry as long ago as last autumn, what consultations his right honourable friend has had with the National Union of Mineworkers, especially on this question of the distribution of priority supplies? Has his right honourable friend had any contact at all with the N.U.M.; and, if not, s this not one of the most extraordinary features of this whole unsatisfactory business?
§ LORD AVEBURYMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for repeating that Statement, may I ask him whether he does not think that it might have been suitable for the Government to make some apology to the consumers who are now suffering hardship and discomfort as a result of the Government's failure td plan ahead td meet this present situation? With regard to the additional restrictions to be imposed from next Wednesday, can the noble Lord give some idea of what these will be? Do they imply longer disconnections, particularly for domestic consumers; and with whom are the Government consulting with regard to the effect on the domestic market in particular? May I finally ask him what is meant by "a comparatively short time" where the Statement refers to the restricted level of consumption being continued after the strike has 327 been brought to an end, if a solution follows the Wilberforce Inquiry Report? What does "a comparatively short time" mean—is it a week, or a month?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, whenever steps had been taken to make preparations we should have had to have the same restrictions as we have now. I quite appreciate that the greater restrictions that may have to be imposed next week would perhaps have come later than they will at the present time in the course of restrictions. I fully explained in the debate the reason why the Government took the view that they did; they hoped that there would be agreement. I explained this quite fully and I do not think I need go over that again.
The noble Lord asked about the number of workers laid off. The estimate of the number laid off to-day is of the order of 1,400,000—about 6½ per cent. of employed people. Assuming that there is no worsening in the extent of the power cuts, indications so far received suggest that the numbers laid off could rise by a further two to three hundred thousand by the end of the week. If the cuts continue at the present rate it could be of the order of 2 million a day by the middle of next week. The noble Lord asked about the distribution of priority supplies. This has been left, as my right honourable friend the Minister for Trade said, for voluntary control. This has been dealt with very effectively. We are extremely grateful for the way it has been carried out by co-operation between the coal merchants and the National Union of Mineworkers' branches. I acknowledge that the branches of the National Union of Mineworkers have co-operated in almost all cases very well indeed in this matter.
As the noble Lord, Lord Shepherd, has indicated a certain amount of disagreement, I would say that to have done otherwise, to have set up a formal form of rationing and priority grouping, would have meant very great difficulties indeed. It would have meant that all the stocks that were held by coal merchants would have had to be evaluated and distribution arranged in this way. This would have been an enormous bureaucratic initiative without any certainty 328 that supplies to meet the plans so made would be forthcoming. Therefore I hope your Lordships will accept that as this is working reasonably well—as well as could possibly be expected in the circumstances—the right decision was taken.
I was asked about consultation with industry and whether my right honourable friend the Secretary of State has had any consultation with the National Union of Mineworkers. The answer is, "No" because the system is working reasonably well. I was asked to repeat a further Statement. We all naturally regret the trouble that the community as a whole is suffering. I cannot accept that this was due to a failure to plan ahead. As to additional restrictions it is obviously quite impossible to say what those will be. I would remind the noble Lord that what the Statement said was:
I must plan on the assumption of no early relief in the situation much as I hope it will occur".Consultations are now taking place with a view to that planning with the appropriate bodies. I think I have answered all the questions. If not, I shall endeavour to do so.
LORD GRENFELLMy Lords, in view of the fact that hospitals have been warned by the Ministry that 24-hour cuts in electricity may occur, will my noble friend confirm that no cuts of this duration will be implemented without a Statement and 24 hours' notice?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I cannot guarantee that there will be 24 hours' notice, but I can tell my noble friend that such cuts are not imminent. This was a warning. If such cuts become necessary every effort will be made to give as much advance warning as possible. The Regional Hospital Boards concerned are being asked to pass this information on to the hospital management committees.
§ LORD HANKEYMy Lords, do we not have to press the Government to protect the public interest more effectively than this? Instead of offering us regrets should we not ask them to start arranging imports of coal? There is coal all over the Continent but nobody is arranging to import it. If any employers' side I of any industry treated the economy of 329 a great country in this way would they not be accused of naked abuse of power?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I hope my noble friend will not expect me to answer that question. I do not think it would contribute in any way to an easement of the situation.
§ LORD BESWICKMy Lords, I wonder whether the noble Lord could make arrangements for the noble Lord, Lord Hankey, to see for himself, first hand, the spirit of the picket lines and then see whether he would repeat his question in the light of that knowledge? May I press the noble Lord, Lord Drumalbyn, on the point about consultation with the N.U.M.? He was good enough to say that there had been no consultation with them about the distribution of priority supplies because the system was working very satisfactorily. I was talking about the prior consultation on which the noble Lord made such a big point when we discussed this earlier in the week. He said on the actual Regulations that there had been consultation at all levels. Are we to understand that although there had been consultation at all levels so far back as last autumn in order to make preparations for an emergency, his right honourable friend had never even once seen any representative at all of the men who were primarily concerned with the whole business?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I am a little surprised at that particular question. The noble Lord will be well aware from his experience in Government that there is a need always to maintain up to date the emergency powers provisions. These consultations were designed to do that. They were carried out at all levels—all appropriate levels—and these were at the official levels with the various officials of the organisations. I do not think it would have been appropriate to have carried them out with the National Union of Mineworkers which I think he is suggesting should have been done. Of course in all emergency procedures there are matters of confidentiality. The point I was answering was limited to the attack which was made upon me when it was suggested that certain organisations that one would expect to have been consulted were not consulted. It was to that that I addressed my observations that consultations had taken place at all levels.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, would the noble Lord agree that the Government have a duty to govern, and when there is hardship to seek to mitigate it? The noble Lord has referred to the fact that working arrangements have been operating reasonably well. But these might well have been improved with the co-operation of the mineworkers if the Government had taken a lead and had consulted with them. Would the noble Lord accept that there would then have been a chance of an improvement? In view of the noble Lord's comments on a number of occasions about consultation, would he say when there was consultation with the C.B.I. prior to the announcement made by the Secretary of State on Friday last? When was that consultation with the C.B.I. on the powers and restrictions that the Government have imposed?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I do not agree with the noble Lord's first point. These were essentially matters of local organisation and they could best be arranged at local level. On the second question, as the noble Lord challenges me directly, I am informed that consultation took place in October with the C.B.I., at the same time as other consultations took place.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, am I to understand from the reply the noble Lord has given that the last consultation the Government had with the Confederation of British Industry, with all their responsibility for industry in this country, was in October, although the strike started in January and still continues in February? Is that what the noble Lord is saying?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, it is not what I said. What I said was that I am informed that consultations took place at that time. I have no further information about consultations.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, will the noble Lord then seek it, in view of the speech that he made on Tuesday? He then made a very strong case on behalf of the Government that they had had full consultation at all levels, yet at this moment of time he cannot answer even that question. I find it absolutely extraordinary.
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I cannot for one moment accept that. I 331 was asked whether there had been consultations. I said that there had. I have now given the time when the consultations took place, and I think that that is an entirely satisfactory answer in the context of what I have already said regarding Emergency Powers.
§ LORD BOOTHBYMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend what steps the Government are taking, or have in mind, to implement the recommendations of the Wilberforce Report? Are they in close touch with the National Union of Mineworkers and the Confederation of British Industry so that, if the Report is agreeable to the N.U.M., this disastrous strike may be brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, I am quite certain that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Employment is in constant touch, so far as touch is possible.
§ LORD AVEBURYMy Lords, I apologise for delaying your Lordships, but I asked what was meant in the Statement by "a comparatively short time" at the new restricted level of consumption which is to be imposed from Wednesday next week. Assuming that there was an early resumption of work following the Wilberforce Committee's Report, as we all hope—perhaps early next week—how long does the noble Lord predict (not to the exact day, but roughly) we shall have to suffer these new reduced levels of consumption?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, if we come to the new reduced levels of consumption, I am informed that it may be a matter of a week.
§ LORD HANKEYMy Lords, would the noble Lord ensure that the power stations are able to use their own coal, before the whole industry of this country comes to a stop?
§ LORD DRUMALBYNMy Lords, the Emergency Powers of course lay an obligation on Her Majesty's Government to take what steps they can to safeguard the life of the country; but, again, I cannot of course in any way go into detail as to how this should be done.