§ 3. Mr. GILBERTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the hardship his pro posed restrictions on gas and electric-light consumption will have on all consumers who have already done their utmost to save consumption; and whether, with a view of altering this unfairness, he will allot consumption to each house on the basis of the number of rooms, on a similar plan to that of coal rationing, which has been such a success?
Sir A. STANLEYWith regard to the first part of this question, I may refer my 4 hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 12th instant to the hon. Member for the Wimbledon division. I do not think that the rationing of gas and electricity on the basis of the number of rooms would necessarily result in fewer anomalies than the method which has been adopted.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the, many thousands of penny-in-the-slot and shilling-in-the-slot meters, and can he tell us in what way he intends dealing with them?
Sir A. STANLEYI am quite aware that there are a very great many automatic meters in existence, and it is simply because there is such a large number of them that we find it necessary to make such restrictions as we think will be least inconvenient.
Mr. WATSONCar, the right hon. Gentleman say whether he is giving special consideration to people who can only light their premises by gas, and with whom any restriction of consumption will limit their hours of business?
Sir A. STANLEYI quite agree. That has been borne in mind; but the fact does remain that we must secure economy in the consumption of gas, and it must apply more or less to everybody who is a consumer.
§ Mr. GILBERTCan the right hon. Gentleman suggest when the gas undertakings will have these new suggestions ready for small consumers?
Sir A. STANLEYWe are moving as rapidly as possible in the matter, but the hon. Gentleman will understand that it is a very complicated question.