Gas and Electricity Meters (Hansard, 19 July 1976)

§ 9. Mr. Cartwright
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take action to evaluate the scheme, proposed by the National Consumer Council, for the use of self-cancelling token meters in the supply of gas and electricity to domestic consumers.

§ Mr. Oakes
The Electricity Council is taking the lead in a study of the practicability of using token meters. As the recent report on payment and collection methods said, there is clearly no question of token-operated meters being available in the short term.

§ Mr. Cartwright
Will not my hon. Friend accept that the record of the fuel boards on this issue so far can hardly be said to reveal any burning enthusiasm for radical change? Will he reconsider his answer in the light of the recommendation of the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries for a thorough-going evaluation of this proposal, to be carried out by his Department and the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection, whereby added weight would be given to the needs of consumers in this very important matter?

§ Mr. Oakes
I think that the series of reports which have been coming forward on fuel problems has concentrated the minds of the industries. Research is taking place, and rather than that each board should conduct its own research it was agreed that the Electricity Council should take the lead.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
Would not a greater use of token meters, prepaid meters or self-cancelling token meters lead to an improvement in the cash flow of the boards and, therefore, help to reduce prices?

§ Mr. Oakes
I think that it would help the boards themselves and I am certain that it would help many consumers as well.

§ Mr. Loyden
Do not the wide implications of my hon. Friend's report, which contains many recommendations beyond the one on disconnection, emphasise the fact that some early action has to be taken on this problem? Does not my hon. Friend also agree that the House should debate the Oakes Report in order that we could determine what is the Government's attitude?

§ Mr. Oakes
I should be delighted to have a debate, but that is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House, and this week the House is pressingly busy. We have recommended that investigations should take place into the question of token meters, but there could not be results in the short term because it would be an enormous job to convert meters throughout the country and there is the problem of getting the right kind of token and so on. Research into the matter is, however, being conducted by the Electricity Council.