HC Deb 07 November 1967 vol 753 cc812-4
11. Mr. Dance

asked the Minister of Power whether he will issue a general direction, in the public interest, that the gas boards should concentrate on the sale of gas and withdraw from the marketing and servicing of appliances.

Mr. Freeson

No, Sir.

Mr. Dance

Yes, but does not the Minister realise that in the West Midlands it is grossly inefficient? Does he not think it would be better to encourage the gas board to produce and sell high speed gas and leave private industry to provide high speed services?

Mr. Freeson

The hon. Gentleman should avoid making exaggerated statements. It is just not true to say that the West Midlands Gas Board is inefficient. It has a very high level of efficiency. Its costs per therm in the country are among the lowest. We have no intention whatsoever of preventing any of the gas boards from undertaking the sale of appliances.

Mr. Tom McMillan

Is the Minister aware that it is already proposed to do this in Scotland, especially with meter repairs, and that if this is done most of the work will be transferred to England, causing deep concern about a further loss of employment in Scotland? It will mean the destruction of the direct labour department and 26 further redundancies in my constituency.

Mr. Freeson

I sympathise with the point my hon. Friend is making, or rather with the feeling he expresses in making that point. He will know from consultations he has had with me recently that I am now having inquiries made on all the points which he has raised, and I shall be in touch with him as soon as the information is available.

Mr. Gurden

Is the Minister not aware that it is a very serious statement to say that the West Midlands Gas Board is efficient when he must know that from both sides of the House he is getting an enormous number of complaints about the services of the Board?

Mr. Freeson

I must ask hon. Members opposite, no matter how strongly they may feel about complaints which are brought to them by their constituents, to stop making these exaggerated statements. They are exaggerated. May I suggest, as has been suggested in correspondence with hon. Members, that they should advise their constituents who bring complaints to them to get in touch with the Consultative Council so that they may be investigated.

Mr. Leadbitter

Is my hon. Friend aware that the marketing, sales and servicing elements of the gas boards are increasingly and unfortunately getting out of step with the staffs of the boards who are working under extreme pressures and difficulties, and will he make some inquiry to establish the co-ordination necessary both to help the staffs and to relieve the public from disappointments and disillusion?

Mr. Freeson

I certainly accept my hon. Friend's point and the spirit in which he has spoken. There are always grounds for pursuing inquiries about particular points raised regarding these industries, but what we do not accept are the grossly exaggerated statements which we have been getting this afternoon. If my hon. Friend would like to raise this point with us, we shall be glad to pursue it.