§ Mr. Carrasked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement about the arrangements for spreading the industrial electricity load during the winter of 1954–55.
§ Sir W. MoncktonYes. I have received the report of the Electricity Sub-Committee of the Joint Consultative Committee, which has been considering this matter. The report is being 95W published today. The recommendations of the sub-committee are essentially the same as last year, when for the first time it was able to recommend that no national load spreading target should be set, but that regional boards for industry should have discretion to make load spreading arrangements in the light of the conditions likely to arise in their respective areas. These arrangements worked well, and the sub-committee has made the same recommendation this year.
It has also recommended that all possible encouragement should continue to be given to the use of private generating plant during winter peak hours, and that a general appeal should be made to domestic and small commercial consumers at the beginning of the winter for economy during peak hours. The Government have accepted the sub-committee's recommendations, and regional boards will, as in previous years. be responsible for working out the detailed arrangements. I should like again to thank both sides of industry for their continued assistance in this matter.