§ 2.35 p.m.
LORD LLOYDMy Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Selkirk, I beg to ask the Question which stands in his name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether it is desirable for the British Electricity Authority to carry out extensive advertising until such time as they are able to meet the requirements of their present clients.]
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, owing to the absence of by noble friend, Lord Macdonald of Gwaenysgor, in America, I have been asked to reply. Advertisement is, in the normal course, a matter of commercial management for which my right honourable friend the Minister of Fuel and Power has no direct responsibility, but the noble Earl's question appears to raise a matter affecting the national interest and the policy of His Majesty's Government, and the Minister, therefore, without creating a precedent inconsistent with the present practice, has asked the British Electricity Authority for information about their general advertising policy at the present time.
I understand first that, being aware of the loss and inconvenience caused to industry and other users of electricity by the present shortage of generating plant, they wish to assure consumers that they are bringing new plant into commission as quickly as they can. Secondly, they have accepted responsibility for the wide-spread national advertising which is required to ensure that householders, office workers and others shall, during the hours of peak demand, help industry by using electricity only when they must. Advertising during the winter is concentrated on this problem of peak demand in order that the frequency and severity of power cuts may be reduced.
LORD LLOYDMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his reply, does he not consider that in many of these advertisements such things as new power stations and new capacity are largely advertised while appeals to the public to economise appear in very small print at the bottom? Does the noble Lord not think that on the whole these advertisements tend to increase consumption rather than reduce it? In view of the fact that electricity users cannot buy electricity from any other authority, is it not a misuse of taxpayers' money to go in for extensive advertising?
§ LORD SHEPHERDI cannot accept the noble Lord's description of these advertisements. The advertisements are issued in accordance with the interests of the production and sale of electricity. However, as the noble Lord has complained about them, I will see that his remarks reach the proper quarter. I would point out that in winter the chief difficulty in the supply of electricity arises from the use of electric fires, and during the cold period no money is used on advertising such fittings.
VISCOUNT SWIMTONMy Lords, I should like to ask two questions arising out of the noble Lord's reply. First of all, if the object the Government have in view, unfortunately, is to get people to consume less electricity so that we may not be subject to these cuts, two of which, each of an hour's duration, happened in the north of England yesterday, why must they waste public money in advertising? I am sure it induces people to use more electricity. Secondly, is not part of our trouble this year due to the fact that in the bad old days the power stations had their spring cleaning, if I may so put it, during the summer months, and that was all over by the time we got into the darker days, whereas now that is not the case and the spring cleaning is carried over into the difficult times?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, it must be well known that the chief demand for the use of electricity occurs at particular times. There are periods, however, when the electricity works can dispose of much more electricity than there is public demand for, and the existing producers of electricity ask that more electricity should be used during these periods. The 519 Board are going forward with their new stations and hope that after this year cuts may no longer be necessary, although much will depend on the speed with which the stations are finished.
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, can the noble Lord say how much of the tax-payers' money is spent on this advertising every year?
§ LORD SHEPHERDNone of the tax-payers' money has been spent in this way. But the accounts of the British Electricity Authority have been published and they contain figures relating to the cost of advertising.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I would ask the noble Lord whether, in view of the interesting statement that electricity was burned at certain times and not at others, it would not be better that these advertisements should take the form of saying, "Please put on your fire when you least need it?"