19. Miss Wardasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused to industry through the prolonged cuts in electricity during the last few weeks; and when the northern region may expect a regular supply.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThere are at present special difficulties in the supply of electricity in the North-East, but I hope that they may be reduced when new power stations come into operation in the area, and when additional supply lines are provided from the south. In the meantime, I am considering what further measures can be taken to reduce the frequency and severity of power cuts.
Miss WardWill the right hon. Gentleman say how much financial loss is involved by these continual cuts, so that we may judge whether it is in the national interest to continue to export generating plant?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI make a very rough guess—it is no more than that—that the industrial loss last winter may have been £10 million for the country as a whole 669 Exports of plant were to the value of £16 million in 1950. It was small plant, which the B.E.A. did not require. Some of it went to Russia—about £6 million pounds worth—and we got £10 million worth of timber in return.
§ Mr. ChetwyndCan the right hon. Gentleman give more detailed figures, and say when the new power stations are likely to be in proper running order?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI would like notice of that question.
§ Mr. PickthornCan the Minister say whether his office gets any centralised and generalised figures of the shortages of voltage supply, or whether such figures are kept only in the areas and do not come up to the higher authorities?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIf the hon. Gentleman means wattage delivered, the answer is "Yes, certainly."
§ Mr. FernyhoughCan my right hon. Friend say how far the policy of full employment which is continuing in the North of England is a contributory factor to the power cuts and whether power cuts would still be necessary if there was mass unemployment?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIf we had mass unemployment there would be no power cuts.
25. Miss Wardasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will set up an advisory committee composed of representatives of industrialists, local authorities, trade unionists and other consumers of electricity to advise him on matters affecting their difficulties arising out of cuts in electricity supplies and the means of circumventing them.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerThe question of load-spreading in order to minimise the frequency and severity of power cuts, is dealt with by a special sub-committee of the National Joint Advisory Council, which is presided over by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour. I am in frequent consultation with the National Production Advisory Council for Industry, and with its emergency committee; on these bodies, as on the National Joint Advisory Council, there 670 are representatives of the Federation of British Industries, of the Trade Union Congress, and of the Regional Boards for Industry. In every area of Electricity Supply, there is a consumers' consultative Council, on which the local authorities and the organisations which speak for large bodies of consumers are strongly represented. I hope, therefore, that the hon. Member will agree that the purpose which she has in mind, is already adequately served.
Miss WardIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that we have had losses of production, losses of finance, and losses of food and that in the North it is considered that health is sometimes affected? Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether we can have a local committee and whether the Northern area is entitled to financial recompense for what it has suffered by all these cuts?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerThe consultative councils have district committees which fulfil the purpose which the hon. Lady has in mind.