§ 52. Mr. Thorneasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any information in connection with the application to the Board of Trade of the West Yorkshire Gas-Grid Company to purchase the Morley municipal gas works for £80,000; what is the area of the gas-grid system and the population coming within its scope before and after the agreement; and whether any compensation is proposed to be paid to the workpeople who will be put out of work?
§ Mr. StanleyThe Drighlington and Gildersome Gaslight Company which, it is understood, is controlled by the West Yorkshire Gas Distribution Company, have applied to the Board of Trade for a Special Order under the Gas Under-takings Acts, 1920 to 1934, to authorise ,inter alia, the transfer to the first-mentioned company of the gas undertaking of the Morley Corporation. This 2982 application has not yet been fully considered by the board, but it is noted that the proposed consideration for the transfer is £87,000, together with an undertaking that subordinate employees of the Morley Corporation employed in the undertaking on the transfer day shall be taken over by the company on their existing terms and conditions of service and remuneration and that the company will continue to pay the gratuities now paid by the corporation to former employeés of the undertaking. It is also noted that provision is made for compensation in the event of pecuniary losses by employés taken over. The districts in which the West Yorkshire Gas Distribution Company are authorised to supply gas are set out in the Schedule to the West Yorkshire Gas Distribution Act, 1938, and these will not be affected by the proposed Order. I am not aware of the area or population of these districts.