§ 9. Mr. Goodhartasked the Minister of Power whether he will give general directions, in the public interest, to the gas and electricity boards outlining the procedure to be adopted when services are suspended because of non-payment of bills when hardship to children may be caused.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeNo, Sir. The boards can be expected to give sympathetic consideration in cases of special hardship.
§ Mr. GoodhartDoes the right hon. Gentleman remember that, during the recent cold spell, the London Electricity Board cut off the supplies to a house in my district, in which there was a child with a congenital heart condition and that, in the opinion of the doctor, the child's health was endangered? As the local children's officers inform me that this is by no means an isolated case, will he look at this again?
§ Mr. LeeI think that my noble Friend has written to the hon. Member about this case. The general procedure is that the beards allow three or four weeks after a bill has been sent out before a final note is issued and at least another week before the supply is disconnected. After all, the boards are commercial undertakings and if people who do not pay their bills are allowed to get away with it, that means, in effect, that others must pay more for their gas and electricity. In general, if the circumstances were known, I am sure that cases of this sort would not happen.
§ Mr. McNair-WilsonWhile not wishing to shield the dishonest, may I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman would agree that the citizens' advice bureaux can play an effective part in finding out whether there is real hardship in any case?