§ Mr. Alan Meale (Mansfield)I beg to ask leave to present a petition containing 10,000 names of my constituents. The subject matter of the petition is standing charges, which the pensioners of my area say are a great burden on them. Many of them, especially during the winter period, are terrified of the cost that those charges impose on them. In addition, they find it difficult to accept the need for standing charges when massive increases have been imposed by services such as gas, water and electricity and when, at the same time, huge salary increases have been given to the directors of the companies that provide those services.
The petition also refers to the issue of free TV licences, of which I am a fervent supporter. Indeed, I find it incredible that at this time, as we head towards a general election, Conservative Members should be calling for a cut of 1p in the pound—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member must not indulge in that type of party political onslaught when presenting a petition.
§ Mr. MealeI understand, Mr. Speaker.
Perhaps I might comment that it would cost only 0.3p for every disabled person and pensioner in Britain to be given a free TV licence. The petition reads:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.The Humble Petition of residents of Mansfield showeth that standing charges for water, gas, electricity and telephones are a great burden on pensioners at a time when the profits of the utility companies are high and the salaries of the top executives have been vastly increased.Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House will introduce legislation to abolish standing charges for these utilities for all pensioners, and also to introduce free television licences for pensioner households.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.