Mr. PRESTONasked the Prime Minister whether he will, concurrently with the introduction of the proposed Electricity Bill, authorise the publication of the various Reports upon which the proposals in the Bill have been founded, together with the detailed estimates of cost as well as the anticipated savings to be effected under the proposals in the Bill; and, on account of the very extensive interests involved, will he agree, in view of the considerable time involved in the preparation of the proposed scheme, to allow at least one month for consideration of the Bill before the Second Reading?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have arranged that the Report of the Committee, of which Lord Weir was Chairman, shall be available at the same time as the Bill is introduced. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 22nd February, in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Remer).
§ Mr. CECIL WILSONasked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the sources from which the expenses of the Electricity Commissioners are met; whether there is any Annual Report as to the work of the Commissioners, and where it is available; and where information can be obtained as to the expenditure of the Commissioners?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe annual expenses of the Electricity Commissioners in accordance with an estimate requiring the prior approval of the Minister of Transport, are apportioned among joint electricity authorities and authorised undertakers in Great Britain. The Commissioners publish an annual Report of their proceedings under the Electricity (Supply) Acts, such Report being issued as a Stationery Office publication. The annual Report for 1924–25 was published in October, 1925. The Reports contain a statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Commissioners as audited by the Comptroller and Auditor-General.