§ LORD WOLVERTONMy Lords, I beg to ask the question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
616 [The question was as follows:
To ask His Majesty's Government, the reasons for making the Electricity Supply [Relaxation of Obligations] Order, 1948, No. 223, and for what length of time the Order is to remain in force, and whether His Majesty's Government are aware that this Order may cause grave hardship to the consumer.]
§ LORD CHORLEYMy Lords, the reasons for making this Order were as follows. Under Sections 27 and 28 of the Electric Lighting (Clauses) Act, 1899, electricity supply undertakers were placed under an obligation to connect and supply any would-be consumer whose premises are situated not more than fifty yards from a distributing main. During the war, because of shortages of labour and materials and the requirements of war industries, the undertakers were exhorted to concentrate their development and new connections on the most essential premises. At that time it was comparatively easy for the undertakers to comply with this request, because there was no great demand among people as a whole for new connections or increased amenities.
After the war, however, while the shortages remained just as acute, many new demands began to be made and, although the undertakers tried to follow the list of priorities given them, they had no statutory right to refuse many of these new demands. It therefore became clear that their statutory obligations were an embarrassment to them in their attempts to give supplies where they were most needed in the national interest. Accordingly, an Order was made relieving them of their statutory obligations, and simultaneously the Electricity Commissioners have issued a letter containing an up-to-date priority list which undertakers are now free to follow. There is no ground for fearing that any hardship to consumers is involved. The Order enables the electricity supply industry to concentrate upon meeting the most essential needs of the community, and various types of hard case are included in the Commissioners' letter as cases which may be dealt with.
I am sure your Lordships will agree that this is the only common sense and reasonable way of dealing with this problem.
§ LORD WOLVERTONIn thanking the noble Lord for his reply, may I ask 617 whether he can tell me how long it is proposed to maintain the Order in force? It takes away the only statutory protection that the consumer has, and it might lead to abuse. The right of any would-be consumer to be connected, provided his premises were within fifty yards of an existing main, was particularly given by Parliament in 1899 and is being denied now. I would like to know for how long it is proposed to extend this Order. We all appreciate that there are difficulties at the present time, but perhaps the noble Lord can give an answer to the question I have addressed to him.
§ LORD CHORLEYI am sure the noble Lord appreciates that it is really quite impossible to tell how long the present emergency is going to last. Naturally, the Government and the Electricity Commissioners are only too anxious to get back to a situation in which they will, in fact, be able to connect up any consumer who wishes to have a connection made; but, as the noble Lord realises, the position at the present moment makes it quite impossible. Indeed, this Order was made because prosecutions were already being brought against the electricity suppliers and, of course, they had no answer to those prosecutions under the Act as it stands. The mere fact that to have connected would have been a danger is still no answer and, so long as there remains a danger in this way, my right honourable friend obviously cannot give any sort of undertaking. But the noble Lord can rest assured that, as soon as the situation warrants it, the Order will be discontinued.