§ 12. Mr. Skeetasked the Minister of Power whether he will give a general direction to the Gas Council to ensure that the terms on which Gas Boards hire gas meters to landlords for use by tenants, including variable rates of hiring, are made known to such tenants, so that the value of gas paid for by insertion of coins in the meter may also be known.
§ Mr. PeytonEach area gas board has published a maximum resale price for gas as the Statute requires. Meter rents are not usually published, but particulars would be given to inquirers.
§ Mr. SkeetIs my hon. Friend aware that many tenants do not have the remotest idea of the value they receive in gas when they put a shilling in the slot, assuming that when they put in a shilling, a shilling's worth of gas comes out, which is not the fact? In the interests of consumer protection, will he now consider giving as much publicity as possible to the facts so that tenants can find out from landlords who install these meters how much gas they get?
§ Mr. PeytonI do not doubt that what my hon. Friend has just said will command the widest attention. If he will give me any instances of abuses. I will be perfectly willing to discuss them with the Gas Council, if that should be necessary.
§ Mr. HoyIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the complaint is of long standing, that many old people are being milched by having to pay far too great a price for a supply of gas—or electricity—taken in this way?
§ Mr. PeytonI am here concerned with gas, and the position with gas is rather different from that with electricity. The boards publish a maximum resale price, as they are required to do under the Act. If the hon. Member has any constructive suggestions to make, I will be glad to consider them.