70. Lieut.-Colonel Sir P. RICHARDSONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport. whether, in the interests of the electrical industry, he will take steps to reduce the time now elapsing between the holding of inquiries and the publication of their decisions by the Electricity Commissioners; and whether he will take steps to expedite generally the procedure before the Electricity Commissioners, and bring it more in accordance with the duration of proceedings before Select Committees?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of TRANSPORT (Mr. Neat)Every effort is made by the Electricity Commissioners to publish their decisions as early as possible, but in view of the numerous and difficult points, both administrative and technical, which are involved in their more important inquiries, some time must necessarily elapse before the promulgation of a decision. The Commissioners inform me that the passing of the Electricity (Supply) Bill will tend materially to expedite matters.
§ Lieut.-Colonel NALLBut is it not a fact that the procedure applied in reference to the Act is to avoid the delay involved in Provisional Order procedure, and, as the Act has proved to be longer than Provisional Order procedure, will the Minister reconsider the question?
§ Mr. NEALI cannel agree as to that result at all. Many of the applications are dealt with extremely expeditiously.