Nationalised Industries (Chairmen) (Hansard, 30 June 1975)

§ 10. Mr. Ashley
asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairmen of the nationalised industries within his responsibility.

§ 23. Mr. Rooker
asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairmen of the gas and electricity industries.

§ Mr. Benn
I plan to have regular meetings with the chairmen both collectively and individually. I met the Chairman of the National Coal Board on 17th June, the Chairman of the British Gas Corporation on 19th June, and the Chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board on 24th June, and I expect to be meeting the Chairman of the Electricity Council very soon.

§ Mr. Ashley
That very impressive list shows that my right hon. Friend is working even harder than usual. When he meets the Chairman of the National Coal Board will he emphasise the anomalies in the compensation scheme for pneumoconiosis—which has already been referred to by some of my hon. Friends—so far as they affect widows? If the chairman of the coal board is in any doubt about the way in which the scheme discriminates against widows, will my right hon. Friend tell him about a constituent of mine whose 56-year-old husband died before 1970, from 100 per cent. pneumoconiosis, and received the miserly sum of £300? Will my right hon. Friend see what he can do about that dreadful anomaly?

§ Mr. Benn
My hon. Friend may have heard an answer that was given earlier today, namely, that this matter has been raised with us on a number of occasions. It was raised by the National Union of Mineworkers when its representatives came to see me. I put it to the union, during the discussions, that these and other matters might best be handled in a resumed tripartite discussion, although in saying so I was unable to go beyond the £100 million arrangement reached when the last tripartite discussions were completed last year. However, I am aware of the anomalies of the kind that my hon. Friend mentioned.

§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
Will the right hon. Gentleman also consider meeting the chairmen of the water authorities and exhorting them, when planning new reservoirs, to conserve energy by selecting sites where the natural head of water will feed the system rather than low-lying sites which have to use fuel for pumping?

§ Mr. Benn
I am sure that the hon. Gentleman is making a good point, but before I undertake those onerous duties, which may not even fall within my departmental responsibilities. I should like to give further consideration to what he suggested.

§ Mr. Rooker
When my right hon. Friend next meets the Chairman of th., Electricity Council, which he said he will do shortly, will he draw his attention to and reinforce the fact that about 40,000 families will be without an electricity supply tonight? Will he ask the Electricity Council if it will take some action at least in the spirit of the Ten-Minute Bill that I introduced some months ago?

§ Mr. Benn
When I meet the Chairman of the Electricity Council I undertake to brief myself on the point made by my hon. Friend and shall ensure that the matter comes up in the discussions I have with him.

§ Mr. Lane
In view of the anxiety caused by the disastrous relationship between the former Secretary of State for Industry and the British Steel Corporation, will the right hon. Gentleman now assure us and the nationalised industries that, so far as his new responsibilities are concerned, his policy will be to allow them maximum commercial managerial freedom with a minimum of day-to-day ministerial intervention?

§ Mr. Benn
I very much hope to enjoy the same relations of cordiality and trust that I sought to establish between those who work in the nationalised industries for which I was responsible. Moreover, I hope that in my relations with the chairmen of the nationalised industries, the need to maintain a good working relationship with the people who work in the industry will be widely shared and accepted.

§ 12. Mr. Golding
asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many general 1008 directions to chairmen of nationalised industries he issued in the last week.

§ Mr. Benn
None, Sir.

§ Mr. Golding
Is my right hon. Friend aware that he has the fullest confidence of all those who work in the Post Office? Is he further aware that those of us with interests in the energy industries will be looking to him to ensure that management gives workers a rightful say in the running of those industries?

§ Mr. Benn
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his remarks. Without in any way interfering with the day-to-day management of the industries concerned, one of the greatest development roles to be performed is that of moving towards greater self-management. I hope to encourage that by discussions with the unions in the energy industries, as I did when I was at the Department of Industry.

§ Mr. Mike Thomas
Is my right hon. Friend aware that another and larger group concerned with the energy industries consists of the consumers? In his relationships with the chairmen of these industries, will he take the view that it is not proper and, indeed, not seemly for him to be seen going along with his Department's line of bleating lamely about commercial freedom and tugging at the skirts of the industries when a case is now being overwhelmingly made for the provision of an adequate level of energy to all homes being regarded as a social and public good and not as a matter of commercial freedom, dictated solely by commercial considerations?

§ Mr. Benn
Yes, but I did not say that, as my hon. Friend will see when he reads Hansard. I said: Without in any way interfering with the day-to-day management". I am well aware of the points made by my hon. Friend in his supplementary question, but he will know that, quite properly, consumer interest in the nationalised industries has been transferred to a wholly different Department—the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection —so that it can be seen to be quite independent of the sponsoring Department.