HC Deb 06 March 1928 vol 161 cc308-9W
Mr. HANNON

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give a list of towns or villages with a population of 1,800 inhabitants or more within a radius of 15 miles of Charing Cross where no electric light supply is available: and whether there is under contemplation any scheme for provision of electric supply to these places?

Colonel ASHLEY

I have been asked to reply. With regard to the first part of the question, no published figures are available showing the populations of villages within the radius mentioned in the question. An approximate list of parishes and urban districts where, so far as can be ascertained, no electric light supply is available, is hereafter given. As indicated in the list, a number of these parishses and urban districts are in the area of supply of existing undertakers, and presumably the demand has not yet proved sufficient to justify the undertakers incurring the expenditure in laying mains, etc. With regard to the second part of the question, the Electricity Commissioners have recently issued a draft Order embodying the scheme they propose to approve for the reorganisation of electricity supply in the London and Home Counties district. The scheme provides for the establishment of a Joint Electricity Authority, and places on that authority the duty of submitting to the Commissioners within a period of two years proposals for the supply of electricity in any area within the districts (not forming part of an area of supply of any local authority, company or person authorised to give a general supply of electricity), in which there is a demand for a supply and a reasonable prospect of such supply being remunerative. The draft Order further provides that such proposals to the extent approved by the Commissioners shall be carried into effect within the time prescribed by the Commissioners when giving their approval. (Section 24 (1) of the Schedule to the draft Order for the London and Home Counties district.) The above-mentioned provisions do not apply to the parishes and urban districts which are already in the area of supply of existing undertakers. It is anticipated, however, that the improvements brought about by the coming into operation of the scheme for the district will facilitate the giving of a supply at an early date to a number of the parishes and urban districts in question.

The draft Order has been made public, and copies are obtainable by any interested party on application to the Electricity Commission.

Approximate list of parishes and urban districts within a radius of 15 miles from Charing Cross, and having a. population of 1,800 inhabitants or more, where, so far as can be ascertained, no electric light supply is at present available:

Parishes of:

  • *Banstead.
  • *Chelsfield.
  • Chigwell.
  • *Dagenham.
  • East Bedfont.
  • *Elstree.
  • Hanworth.
  • *Harlington.
  • *Hornchurch.
  • *Rainham.
  • *South Mimms.
  • *Great Stanmore.
  • *Little Stanmore.

Urban Districts of:

  • Buckhurst Hill.
  • *Cheshunt.
  • *Chingford.
  • Feltham.
  • Loughton.
  • Sunbury.
  • Wanstead.
  • Woodford.

(*Indicates areas for which statutory powers at present exist.)