§ Mr. GILBERTasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the dissatisfaction amongst gas consumers in London on the new method of the London gas companies charging by therms; whether he is aware that many consumers think they are overcharged; and whether he will consider the desirability of an inquiry into the present methods of charging by the London gas companies, in the interest of the daily consumer
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONMy attention has been drawn to comments in the Press on this subject. The method of charging for gas on a therm basis came into operation in the case of one London company in October, 1920, and in the case of the other Metropolitan companies in April and May, 1921, respectively. Under this method, consumers are charged according to the heating value of the gas supplied, and the local authorities have appointed gas examiners, in accordance with their powers under the Gas Regulation Act. At the time of the introduction of the thermal method of charging, the1712W standard prices were revised, in compliance with the Act. I do not think that any further inquiry on the part of the Board of Trade is called for at present. The Act provides that a local authority may apply to the Board of Trade for a revision of the standard price per therm fixed in the original Order, consequent upon reductions in the cost of making gas since the date of the original Order, and this method of procedure is open to any local authority in whose area the consumers are of opinion that the standard price per therm should be reduced below that given by the Board originally.