HC Deb 14 June 1971 vol 819 cc11-2
12. Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will issue a general direction to the chairmen of gas boards not to impose charges for repairs arising from conversion to natural gas.

Sir J. Eden

No, Sir. I am informed that gas boards already repair, free of charge, all defects clearly attributable to conversion.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

I pay tribute to the manner in which conversion, in general, has been done in my constituency, but is my hon. Friend aware that old-age pensioners and people without much money have been charged, not once, but twice—and this is the case also in South-East Essex—for repairs which, by any reasonable interpretation, arise from the teething troubles of conversion? Will the Department issue a suggestion to chairmen to be a little more accommodating in this matter?

Sir J. Eden

A full post-conversion service is normally carried out by the teams of conversion specialists over a period of eight weeks after conversion, but if my hon. Friend has any particular points that he would like to bring to my notice I shall look into them further.

Mr. Thomas Cox

The hon. Member for Chigwell (Mr. Biggs-Davison) has hit on a crucial point, because the kind of thing to which he referred is happening in my constituency and also, I assume, in the constituencies of many hon. Members. May I ask the Minister to look at another problem concerning gas conversion? It is a growing problem for many retired people. It is the need for them to purchase new gas cookers, which may often cost £40 or £50, to do which they receive no help whatsoever.

Sir J. Eden

Those are matters largely for the area boards concerned. Repre- sentations can be made direct to them, or to the consultative councils which exist to serve consumers in these matters, but I shall be happy to look again into the matters that have been raised.

Mr. John Hall

Is my hon. Friend aware that the problem is a little more serious than he appears to think? In many cases repairs subsequent to conversion go on for many months—not just a few weeks—and these are due entirely to the problems arising from conversion. Is it fair that people with limited means should be expected to meet the cost of these repairs?

Sir J. Eden

I am sure that, generally speaking, repairs directly attributable to conversion are met by the boards but, arising out of this afternoon's exchange, I will look into these matters again.

Mr. J. T. Price

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that his Department is not without responsibility in this matter? The functions of the area boards have been hived off under our legislation, but is the hon. Gentleman aware that two years ago it was revealed to the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries that it was the purpose of the industry to wipe out the capital value of all the town gas plant, which was valued at £300 million, and to do it quickly? The consumer is to be charged unreasonably because of these operations, merely to cover up the cost of conversion to natural gas, and thus the bonanza which natural gas was supposed to represent has become a mixed blessing to many of our constituents.

Sir J. Eden

I think that the hon. Gentleman's question takes us into wider issues.