§ 34. Viscount WOLMERasked the Undersecretary to the Board of Trade whether he will publish a Return of the Orders granted by the Board of Trade during the last three years to local authorities to enable them to supply electricity in their localities, showing in each instance the population, the rateable value, the amount of local rates and indebtedness, and the nature and number of any guarantees forthcoming that the estimated demands for units of electricity by consumers would be taken by such consumers over certain periods of years, and other considerations that led the Board of Trade to sanction such Orders?
Mr. ROBERTSONI do not think that it would be possible to tabulate in a Return the guarantees or considerations which have led the Board of Trade to make Provisional Orders authorising local authorities to supply electricity. A Return could be prepared showing the population, rateable value, local rates, and indebtedness in each case, but I doubt if the information would be of sufficient general interest to justify the cost of such a Return. If, however, the hon. Member wishes to have the information, I shall be glad to supply it to him.