§ 69. Mr. JOHN WILMOTasked the Minister of Transport whether he will arrange to accelerate the publication of the annual engineering and financial statistics relating to authorised undertakings in Great Britain and all other publications of the Electricity Commission and the Central Electricity Board, so that they appear not more than three months after the year to which they refer; and whether he will also arrange that they all refer to uniform periods of time?
§ Captain A. HUDSONWhile it is desirable and indeed the commissioners endeavour to publish their various returns and reports as early as possible, it is not possible to obtain the necessary returns from over 600 authorised undertakers and to compile them within the period suggested by the hon. Member. As regards the latter part of the question, local authority and company undertakers have different financial years, and it has therefore not been considered practicable to 556 make the various returns relate to the same period.
§ Mr. WILMOTIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the lack of uniformity in publication impairs the usefulness of these valuable statistics, and cannot some action be taken to improve the situation?
§ Captain HUDSONWe are looking into the matter. I am inclined to agree with the view of the hon. Member.