§ 16. Mr. CarringtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of disconnection for debt of electricity customers in (a) 1976, (b) 1986 and (c) 1990.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryIn the year ending 31 March 1976, disconnections for domestic electricity debt in England and Wales totalled 125,000. In the year to 31 March 1986, they had dropped to 102,000. In the year to 31 March 1991, they had fallen to 51,637—the lowest recorded level.
§ Mr. CarringtonDoes my hon. Friend agree that that significant drop in disconnections demonstrates the success of the privatised electricity companies in looking after customers who can, temporarily, least afford to pay their bills? Does my hon. Friend agree that the privatised electricity companies should be congratulated on their efforts to assist people who get into financial trouble? Will he encourage those companies to continue that policy in future?
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryYes, Sir. The fact remains that, under Labour, more than twice as many people were having their supplies cut off because of electricity debts. That shows that the privatisation programme that we have pushed through is good for the customer, particularly low-income households that would otherwise be disconnected. I can confirm that, under the codes of practice agreed between the newly privatised companies and the regulator, the figures should drop even further.