HC Deb 12 January 1976 vol 903 cc6-7
4. Mr. Gould

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will issue a general direction to electricity boards to collect from prepaid meters more frequently.

The Under-Secretary of State for Energy (Mr. Alex Eadie)

This is a matter for the commercial judgment of the boards themselves, in the light of their knowledge of the rate at which meters in different areas become full.

Mr. Gould

Does my hon. Friend accept that some consumers who prefer to pay for their electricity through the meter have found that as a result of increased charges their meter boxes are full before the routine collection? The result is that they are cut off not because they refuse to pay but, paradoxically, because they wish to pay more and faster than has been allowed for by the electricity boards? Will my hon. Friend ensure that the boards are aware of the problem and that they make arrangements either to collect more often or to provide larger meter boxes?

Mr. Eadie

I am seized of the point my hon. Friend makes. The problem is being overcome by the introduction, as quickly as possible, of a new type of meter that accepts 50p pieces. All boards arrange to clear meters promptly if they are filled or jammed. Some boards allow consumers to empty meters themselves. Disconnections are infrequent. Boards treat requests to clear prepayment meters as an emergency and make no charge for the service.

Mr. Mike Thomas

Would it not be better if the boards speeded up their assessment of plastic token prepayment meters, so that those meters could be introduced, rather than the boards having to go through the palaver of first putting in 50p meters and then altering the meters yet again to take plastic tokens?

Mr. Eadie

The matter has been discussed before, and there is another Question on the Order Paper about it. A preliminary assessment by the Electricity Council confirmed that while the idea merited continued study there was a range of questions to be answered and important problems to be overcome before widespread application could be envisaged. If my hon. Friend wishes to have any more information on the matter I shall be pleased to write to him about it.

Miss Richardson

I am sure that my hon. Friend is aware that the problem also applies to gas meters. Is he aware that an elderly couple who are housebound—I have such a couple in mind—and who need to keep a gas appliance on all day will fill up their meter very quickly, and that for an emergency collection they have to pay £3.40? Does my hon. Friend agree that that is an exorbitant sum for old-age pensioners to pay?

Mr. Eadie

If my hon. Friend gives me details of specific instances I shall be pleased to take them up, but my information is as I stated it before.