§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will specify the statutory authority governing gas and electricity authorities' application for, and evidence required in, obtaining warrants to enter the homes of their customers; and how many such warrants have been issued to gas and electricity authorities in Inner London during each of the past five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. BennA warrant under the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954 may be granted only where it is shown to the satisfaction of a justice of the peace, on sworn information in writing, that admission is required for the purpose specified in the information and that the electricity board or British Gas Corporation is entitled for that purpose to exercise a right of entry. The 819W justice must also be satisfied except in certain specified circumstances that admission to the premises has been sought by a person lawfully requiring entry in the exercise of that right after no less than 24 hours notice of intended entry has been given to the occupier.
Figures relating to the number of warrants issued to the gas and electricity authorities in inner London are not readily identifiable, but I am asking the Chairmen of the British Gas Corporation and the London Electricity Board to write direct as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will issue a general direction to gas and electricity authorities that their staffs should not break into consumers' homes in order to carry out disconnections.
§ Dr. John A. CunninghamThe power of entry by both industries is subject to the provisions of the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended, whereby, except in the case of emergency, the power cannot be exercised without the consent of the occupier of the premises or a warrant granted under Section 2 of the Act by a magistrate.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give a general direction to gas and electricity authorities not to employ private contractors to disconnect domestic consumers when directly employed staff have refused to carry out such work.
§ Dr. John A. CunninghamThis is a matter for the industries, though, I understand, neither the electricity boards nor the British Gas Corporation make use of contracted labour for this purpose. Nor am I aware of any evidence of their staffs refusing to carry out this duty when required.
§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to publish the code of practice on fuel disconnections.
§ Mr. BennThe code is now the subject of final discussions with the industries and the unions concerned and between my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Services and the local authority associations and staff representatives. Once agreed, the code will be promul-820W gated by the industries. I am most grateful to the industries for their help over these months of discussion. Meanwhile I am placing a copy of the latest draft in the Library.