§ 39. Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to prevent the Yorkshire Electricity Board from raising certain domestic off-peak storage tariffs by 70 per cent.: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EadieNo. All unit rates in domestic tariffs are being increased by an amount corresponding to the increase in the fuel cost of supplying each unit.
Mr. David Stoddardasked the Secretary of State for Energy, in view of the fact that the new charges for off-peak electricity bear more heavily than was expected on certain consumers, whether he will issue a general direction to boards to redistribute the impact of their new tariffs so that relief is afforded for domestic off-peak users.
§ Mr. EadieNo, I would refer my hon. Friend to my replies to the hon. Members for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Rost) and Conway (Mr. Roberts) on 1st April and 8th May respectively and to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) today.
§ Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in view of the evidence of the impact of the new off-peak tariffs on domestic consumers, he will direct the electricity boards to adjust the incidence of the new charges in their favor, and to cease the sales promotion of off-peak appliances.
§ Mr. EadieNo. I would refer the hon. Member to my replies to the hon. Members for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Rost) and Conway (Mr. Roberts) on 1st April and 8th May respectively and to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) today. Off-peak and night rates will still be much cheaper than the unrestricted rates, and the promotion of appliances, which are also sold by private retailers, is a matter for the boards' commercial judgment.