HC Deb 24 February 1938 vol 332 cc573-4W
Captain Cunningham-Reid

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the recent election of eight representatives of the 16 Metropolitan borough councils conducting municipal electricity undertakings to seats upon the London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority, which election resulted in the largest single electricity distributing municipal authority, the St. Marylebone Borough Council, with an output of approximately one-fifth of the total output concerned, being deprived of representation upon the authority; and, as such a result demonstrates a weakness in the Act under which such elections are held, whether he will take steps to amend the Act to remedy this?

Mr. Burgin

The constitution of the London and Home Counties Joint Electricity Authority is determined by the London and Home Counties Electricity District Order, 1925, which, as amended by subsequent Orders of 1931 and 1932, allots eight members to the local authority undertakers in the administrative county of London and prescribes a scheme of voting based on the number of units of electricity sold to govern the election of such members. While the present time does not appear to me to be opportune for considering any amendment of these arrangements, I have no doubt that my hon. and gallant Friend's representations will be borne in mind in connection with any reorganisation of electricity supply resulting from the Government's legislative proposals.

Mr. T. Williams

asked the Minister of Transport what were the total number of units of electricity generated by authorised undertakings during the year 1937?

Mr. Burgin

The total number of units of electricity generated by authorised undertakers in Great Britain during the year 1937 was 22,905 millions.