§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he will consider amending the Army Order as to the supply of electric light current by his Department to officers, so that the price charged to officers stationed at Chatham in respect of current consumed by them in excess of their official allowance shall be the same as that paid by his Department to the undertaking that supplies the current;
2043W(2) what is the cost to his Department per unit of the electric light current consumed in excess of their allowance by Army officers at Chatham, for which excess current they are charged 5½d. per unit by his Department; and how much profit has been made by his Department in respect of the supply of such electric light current to such officers during the 11 months ended 28th February, 1931?
§ Mr. SHAWThe rate of 5½d. a unit which is charged to all officers in married quarters throughout the United Kingdom for electric current consumed in excess of their light allowance represents the average retail cost of electric light in the country. A flat average rate is charged to secure equality of treatment at the various stations. The rate is at present under review. The cost to the War Department of electricity purchased at Chatham varies according to the source of supply from approximately 5d. to approximately 2d. a Board of Trade unit. Information is not available to show for the period mentioned in the question the total difference between the amount paid by the War Department at Chatham for units consumed by officers in married quarters in excess of their light allowance, and the total received in respect of such units on the basis of the flat rate charged.