HC Deb 22 December 1919 vol 123 cc1145-7

19.—(1) It, shall be lawful for the Board of 'Trade, after consultation with the Electricity Commissioners, at any time after an electricity district has been provisionally determined and before the establishment of a district electricity board or joint electricity authority for the district, and for two years after the establishment of any such board or authority, with the consent of such board or authority, to construct any generating station, main transmission line, or other works, and exercise any other powers which a district electricity hoard or joint electricity authority can or can be authorised to exercise under this Act, but nothing in this provision shall be construed as vesting in the Board of Trade any generating station or main transmission line which under this Act becomes vested in a district electricity board; Provided that, where the Board of Trade propose to construct a generating station before the establishment of a district electricity board or joint electricity authority for any district, they shall consult with the county councils, local authorities, and authorised undertakers any part, of whose county, district, or area of supply is within the electricity district, as to the site of the proposed station. (3) At the expiration of two years after the' establishment of a district electricity board or joint electricity authority for any district, or at any earlier time which may be agreed on between the Board of Trade and the district electricity board or joint electricity authority, any generating station, main transmission lines and: other works, and any land acquired for the purpose thereof by the Board of Trade under this. Section which are situate within the electricity district, shall vest 'n that board or authority, subject to the payment by the district electricity board or joint electricity authority to the Board of Trade of such sum as may be certified by the Treasury to be sufficient to repay the advances made by them to the Board of Trade including the cost of redeeming any of the securities issued under the preceding Sub-section) in respect of the construction of and provision of working capital for such works, and the acquisition of such lands, and any interest thereon which may be outstanding after deducting the amount applied or applicable towards the repayment of the sums issued to the Board of Trade for de, fraying that cost; and the payment of such sum as aforesaid shall be a purpose for which the district electricity board may borrow under this Act: Provided that the date of vesting under this Sub-section shall not be later than the date fixed for tine vesting in the district electricity board or joint electricity authority of any generating station of any authorised undertakers within the district. (4) The prices fixed by the Board of Trade for electricity supplied by them from generating stations established under this Section, shall be such that their receipts therefrom will be sufficient to cover their expenditure on income account (including interest and sinking fund charges in respect of such advances as aforesaid) with such margin as the Board may think fit: Provided that in fixing such prices the Board of Trade shall have regard to the existing. scale of charges of the authorised distributors in the district, and that the provisions of Sub-section (5) of the Section of this Act, whereof the marginal note is "Acquisition of generating stations," shall extend and apply to the Board of Trade in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to a district electricity board.

Lords Amendments: Leave out the words" district electricity board or "[three times]—Agreed to.

Leave out the words "board or "["such board or authority "[twice]—Agreed to.

Leave out the Words but nothing in this provision shall be construed as vesting in the Board of Trade any generating station or main transmission line which under this Act becomes vested in a district electricity board.

—Agreed to.

Leave out the word "they "["they shall consult with the county Councils"], and insert instead thereof the words "the Electricity Commissioners."—Agreed to.

In Sub-section (1), after the word district "["within the electricity district"], insert the words "as provisionally determined"—Agreed to.

In Sub-section (3) leave out the words "district electricity board or"[three times]—Agreed to.

Leave out the words "board or "["vest in that board or "]—Agreed to.

Leave out the words and the payment of such sum as aforesaid shall be a purpose for which the district electricity board may borrow under this Act: Provided that the date of vesting under this Sub-section shall not be later than the date fixed for the vesting in the district electricity board or joint electricity authority of any generating station of any authorised undertakers within the district.

—Agreed to.

In Sub-section (4), leave out the words Provided that in fixing such prices the Board of Trade shall have regard to the existing scale of chares of the authorised distributors in the district, and that the provisions of Subsection (5) of the Section of this Act, whereof the marginal note is Acquisition of generating stations. shall extend and apply to the Board of Trade in the same manner and to the same extent as such provisions apply to a district electricity board.

—Agreed to.