HC Deb 27 July 1938 vol 338 cc3123-4W
Mr. Day

asked the Minister of Transport how many authorised undertakers are at present receiving direct supplies from the grid system as supplied by the Central Electricity Board and are in turn distributing same; and will he give particulars of any estimate his Department has made of the number of houses and farms in England and Wales that are without electricity and power, respectively?

Mr. Burgin

213 separate authorised undertakers were receiving direct supplies from the grid system at the end of June, 1938. The returns rendered to the Electricity Commissioners by authorised undertakers show that in England and Wales approximately 3.7 million domestic premises and approximately 96,000 farms and horticultural premises had not been connected to the public supply system at the end of 1936–37, the latest date for which official statistics are available.

Rear-Admiral Beamish

asked the Minister of Transport under what statutory authority an electricity company now operating in Sussex is proposing to increase its charges by 10 per cent., notice of which has recently been given?

Mr. Burgin

Electricity undertakers do not require specific authority to vary their charges provided they do not exceed their authorised maxima.