§ 35. Mr. Hugh Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give a general direction to the area electricity boards to cease the practice of deliberately issuing false large bills to electricity consumers as a means of obtaining payment of money owing or of gaining access to consumers' premises.
§ Mr. BennThe Eastern Electricity Board tells me that its procedure for checking such accounts is well established and this account should not have been sent. It was an isolated case arising from an error on the part of one of its staff and appropriate disciplinary action has been taken.
§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now publish the study of energy tariffs recently carried out by officials; and what conclusions the Government have reached.
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§ Mr. BennYes. At the Government's request an inter-departmental group of officials reviewed the scope for helping poor consumers by adjusting the structure of energy tariffs or by other means such as introducing special concessionary tariffs or free allowances of gas and electricity. Its report is being published today and I am placing a copy in the Library; further copies are available on request from my Department. After considering it, the Government have concluded that none of these possibilities offers a satisfactory way of helping poor consumers with their fuel bills.