HC Deb 26 July 1971 vol 822 cc20-1
27. Mr. Clinton Davis

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give an undertaking not to dispose of the operations of the nationalised gas industry relating to installation, servicing and maintenance work, and the showrooms operated by the industry throughout the country.

Sir J. Eden

I am still considering the present range of activities in this industry.

Mr. Davis

Is not the hon. Gentleman prepared to be more frank? Is he not aware that Press reports some two weeks ago indicated that the Government had plans to hive off these operations? When does he propose to make an announcement about these matters?

Sir J. Eden

The current review of the gas and electricity industries' activities is going ahead as fast as possible, but I do not think that it should be rushed. An announcement will be made as soon as I am in a position to make it.

Mr. Kenneth Lewis

Nevertheless, will my hon. Friend bear in mind that a great deal of money could be saved if the gas and electricity industries merged many of their activities, for example in the reading of meters, since at the moment two people come to a house to read separate meters, a job which could be done by one man?

Sir J. Eden

Joint metering arrangements are another matter.

Mr. Frank Allaun

On the question of hiving off these and other profitable sections of publicly-owned activities, has the Minister seen a document which is out today—the agenda of this year's annual Labour Party conference, which contains no fewer than 43 resolutions, from such powerful bodies as the miners, railwaymen, Post Office engineers and others concerned, stating that the next Labour Government should take these former publicly-owned sectors back into public ownership without compensation?

Sir J. Eden

I believe we are all aware that the agenda of the conference to which the hon. Gentleman referred was probably prepared some time ago and that, therefore, the resolutions have been overtaken by changed attitudes. But hiving off is much more a question not whether the sections of the industry are profitable or unprofitable but whether they are organised in such a way as to bring most benefit to taxpayers and consumers.