§ Mr. Edward Evansasked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many persons appointed to Area Electricity Boards have had experience as practical work-people engaged in the supply industry, with their names and areas.
§ Mr. GaitskellI would remind my hon. Friend of the provisions of the Electricity Act, 1947, in regard to the qualifications requisite for chairmen and members of Area Boards. The Act provides that appointments to these posts shall be made by the Minister, after consultation with the Central Authority, from amongst persons appearing to the Minister to be qualified as having had experience of, and having shown capacity in, electricity supply, local government, industrial, commercial, agricultural or financial138W matters, applied science, administration, or the organisation of workers.
My hon. Friend will observe from the list of the members of Area Boards, as now constituted, which I announced in this House on 26th February, and a copy of which I am sending him, that nearly all the chairmen and deputy chairmen and a fair proportion of the part-time members have had long practical experience in the electricity supply industry, or in work closely associated therewith, and that one or more members of each Board have had experience in the organisation of workers, whether in the industry or otherwise. I could not say, without inquiry from each individual member, how many Board members have at one time or another had actual practical experience as workpeople in the industry.