§ MR. LOUGH (Islington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade whether he has noticed the announcement that the promoters of the Administrative County of London and District Electric Power Company have commenced to buy up electrical undertakings throughout London; and whether it is necessary that agreements of sale made with a local authority possessing authorised electrical undertakings should be submitted to the Board of Trade before they are confirmed by the local authority; whether the Board of Trade has seen and approved of the agreements that have been made by the company with the Barking and Bexley Urban District Councils, and what is the nature of these arrangements; whether the agreement with Stepney involves the ultimate acquisition of the electrical undertaking of that council; and whether he is aware of any further negotiations having been concluded with other London boroughs.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. BONAR LAW, Glasgow, Blackfriars)I have not noticed the announcement that 1066 the company have commenced to buy up electrical undertakings throughout London, nor have I any information as to the particulars of the agreements or negotiations referred to in the Question. I understand that the Bill as at present drawn provides that no agreement for the sale of an undertaking shall be of force until it has received the approval of the Board of Trade, but until the Bill has received Royal Assent no case can be submitted to or considered by the Board of Trade.
§ MR. LOUGHIs there a provision in the Act of 1888 that no undertaking in London shall be bought up without the consent of the Board of Trade, and has such consent been applied for in any case?