§ Mr. WELLOCKasked the Minister of Transport (1) if he will inform the House of any agreements in existence or contemplated between electricity supply companies in the London and home counties electricity district and local authorities whereby, in consideration of the payment of certain sums of money, the local authorities have agreed not to exercise their right to purchase the undertaking or to terminate an existing lease of any undertaking; and whether he can inform the House of the terms of such agreements;
(2) whether his attention has been called to agreements which have been, or are about to be, entered into between the North Metropolitan Electric Supply Company and certain local authorities whereby, in consideration of certain annual payments made by the company to the local authority, the local authority agrees not to exercise its right to purchase the electricity undertaking in its area; and what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, to see that arrangements so made or contemplated are in the public interest?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONI understand that in three instances in the London and home counties joint electricity district where local authorities receive payments of the kind in question, presumably in pursuance of agreements1944W entered into with the electricity company concerned, namely, the North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Company. My hon. Friend is not in favour of such arrangements, but the Electricity (Supply) Acts do not require such agreements to be submitted for approval, and I am not in a position to give all the details and I am not aware whether any further agreements of this kind are contemplated.