§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in view of the fact that the Eastern Electricity Board has been able to reduce its proposed increases in charges from 10 per cent. to 7.4 per cent., he will ask the chairman of the Electricity Council to examine how this has proved possible; and if he will seek to implement similar reductions on a national basis.
§ Mr. Norman LamontI am advised by the chairman of the Electricity Council that the reduction of the increases to be implemented by the Eastern Electricity Board is due to a reassessment by the board of its financial position in relation to its current three-year financial target to 1982–83. All boards have fixed their tariffs in relation to their three-year financial targets, but, as progress towards these targets differs between boards, there is no possibility of uniform tariff increases.