HC Deb 08 February 1982 vol 17 cc723-4
5. Sir William van Straubenzee

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has yet received a report from the area electricity boards concerning the breakdown in electricity distribution which occurred during the recent inclement weather.

Mr. Lawson

I have now received the report from the chairman of the Electricity Council which I called for on 21 December. I am placing a copy in the Library of the House. The report makes a number of positive suggestions for further study and improvements in procedures for dealing with future emergencies. I shall be encouraging the industry to press ahead with these studies and improvements. Meanwhile, I am sure that I have the support of the whole House in thanking those who worked so hard in appalling weather conditions to restore supplies.

Sir William van Straubenzee

I thank my right hon. Friend for that very helpful reply. We shall obviously need to study the report, but can he say, in the interim, whether the effects of the first spell of bad weather, before Christmas, and the disastrous effects on electricity supplies suggest a lack of preparedness, even though. of course, the severe weather came very much earlier this year than would normally be expected?

Mr. Lawson

I am aware of the considerable hardship caused in many areas, but I am sure that when my hon. Friend reads the report he will see that there is no evidence of lack of preparedness. However, some areas where improvements could be made have been identified and the exercise has, therefore, been worth-while.

Mr. Rowlands

We, the Opposition, fully associate ourselves with the Secretary of State's congratulations to those who worked so hard in appalling difficulties,, not only before Christmas, but, as those of us in South Wales saw, after Christmas. Does the report show any need for co-ordination of response between various areas? There are occasions when some areas get overwhelmed by the problem. Is the necessary co-ordination fully safeguarded in the present arrangements?

Mr. Lawson

There is co-ordination already, but the hon. Gentleman has made a good point. One of the report's recommendations is that there should be closer cooperation between the various boards, co-ordinated by the Electricity Council.

Mr. Speller

I join in the congratulations due to the various boards and, in my area, to the South-West electricity board which did much good work. While my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales was flying over the Principality, the weather was so unkind that it was not possible to fly a helicopter over North Devon. I fully support what my right hon. Friend has said so far, but cannot the Services be involved more quickly? Were communications good enough between the boards and their consumers?

Mr. Lawson

Those matters are dealt with in the report, which deals with the subject in considerable detail. I hope that when my hon. Friend has read the report he will be satisfied that the matters that should have been considered have been considered. If there are still matters on which he would like to write to me he is more than welcome to do so.