65. Vice-Admiral Taylorasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the conversion now taking place of houses into self-contained flats or flatlets in the South Paddington district, he will consider some alteration of the policy of the Metropolitan Electric Supply Company to prevent the necessity of individual meter deposits to that company.
Major Lloyd GeorgeI assume my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to the deposits required by way of security from prospective credit consumers by this and many other gas and electricity companies and in this connection I would refer to the reply given on 4th April, 1944, to the hon Member for Evesham (Mr. De la Bère), copy of which I am sending to my hon. and gallant Friend. As will be seen from that reply, the powers to require security are conferred on the company by Parliament, but if my hon. and gallant Friends knows of cases of hardship, and will let me have particulars, I shall be glad to look into them.
Vice-Admiral TaylorIs not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the deposit demanded from these small flatlets is a high one, and that where the public respond to the appeal of the right hon. and gallant Gentleman, the users of electricity, even if they do not consume that electricity, are actually paying for it, and cannot something be done to rectify this position?
Major Lloyd GeorgeIf the hon. and gallant Gentleman will give any particular case he has in mind, I shall be very glad to look into it.
Mr. De la BèreIs the Minister aware that it is time that something was done with regard to the meter rent question, and that he promised that something should be done months ago?
Major Lloyd GeorgeSometimes it has been known that people have gone away without telling anybody they were going, and I believe that it has something to do with that.