§ 23. Mr. HARDIEasked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been called to the acceptance by a member of the Electricity Board of a directorship in a company whose interests and profits are dependent upon such schemes as the electricity scheme; and whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe conditions under which the members of the Central Electricity Board may be appointed and may act are laid down in Section 1 of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1926, and I know of nothing that would warrant intervention on my part in connection with any such case as the hon. Member appears to have in mind.
§ M r. HARDIEWas it not definitely understood, in Committee on the Bill, that anyone taking any part as a member of the Board would not in any way be connected directly or indirectly with anything having any connection with the production of electric power in this country?
§ Colonel ASHLEYNo; that only applies, if my recollection serves me, to the Chairman. In the case of a member of the Board, he would have to disclose any interest he had in a company if any operations of the Board were undertaken in connection with that company.
§ Mr. HARDIEIs it not a fact, and within the memory of the Minister, that when this question of members apart from the Chairman of the Board was raised, it was agreed that no one would, directly or indirectly, have anything in the nature of an interest in any company that operated in the direction of the production of electricity?
§ Colonel ASHLEYNo; what was agred was the decision to which the Committee came.