§ 4. Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that, despite the assurances contained in a letter dated 15th April, 1948, from the Parliamentary Secretary to his Department to the hon. Member for Maldon, the house on Wycke Hill, Maldon, therein referred to, has still not been connected with the supply of electricity available within 200 yards of it; and if he will take immediate steps to secure the fulfilment of the undertakings implied in this letter.
§ Mr. GaitskellNo assurance was given in my Parliamentary Secretary's letter that a supply of electricity could be made available. It indicated that a licence for 534 the necessary poles had been issued, which is what the private company supplying the electricity had said was required. I am now informed that a connection could not be made from the line which runs within 200 yards of the house because it is already overloaded. In order to give a supply it will be necessary to erect half a mile of line together with a transformer station. The supply is unlikely to be available before March, 1949.
§ Mr. DribergHas my right hon. Friend looked at that letter himself, and has he noticed that, in addition to what he quoted from it, the Parliamentary Secretary said that he was
pleased to say that we have been able to clearthis case? Does not that imply some undertaking that there will be a fairly rapid completion?
§ Mr. GaitskellNo, Sir. What my hon. Friend said in his letter was that he was glad that we had been able to clear Mr. Macklen's case from the allocation of poles made to us on 1st April. That letter related solely to poles.