§ Major BIRCHALLasked the Minister of Transport whether he can give a rough estimate of the cost of the two electricity inquiries already held at Bristol and Liverpool; and whether the holding of further inquiries and consequent large expenditure might be postponed till a more convenient time?
§ Mr. NEALThe cost to the Electricity Commission of the two inquiries referred to has been about £150. The Commissioners have no knowledge of the amount of the costs incurred by other parties. For adequate reasons affecting the development of electricity undertakings it is undesirable to postpone the inquiries, which are an essential preliminary to the setting up of joint electricity authorities.
§ Major BIRCHALLasked the Minister of Transport whether, seeing that a local authority is not at present empowered to finance a joint electricity authority, he will explain why the Electricity Commissioners are holding local inquiries to consider schemes for the formation of such joint electricity authorities?
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§ Mr. NEALThe Commissioners are holding local inquiries in pursuance of the duties placed upon them by the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, for bringing about an improvement in the organisation for the supply of electricity in various districts which they have provisionally determined. With regard to the further powers required by joint electricity authorities, I must refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given by the Minister to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Simm) on the 13th December last, of which I am sending him a copy.