§ Mr. Haydayasked the Minister of Transport, what is the approximate capacity of boiler and turbo-generating 2428W plant and its approximate cost ordered for generating stations extensions for the years 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937?
§ Mr. Burgin:The approximate capacity of the turbo-generating plant and boilers sanctioned for selected generating stations and the approximate cost was as follows:
Year. Generating Plant. Boilers. Cost. lbs. per kws. hour. £ 1933–34 140,500 (No figures available.) 1934–35 555,075 8,045,000 (No figures available) 1935–36 711,000 8,525,000 8,000,000 1936–37 956,250 10,730,000 12,500,000 1937–38 645,000 7,884,500 9,500,000
§ Mr. McEnteeasked the Minister of Transport, whether he will state the number of showrooms owned by authorised electricity authorities in Great Britain, and the number of such authorities possessing showrooms and those not possessing showrooms?
§ Mr. Burgin:Out of the 625 authorised undertakings supplying electricity at the end of 1936–37, 508 possessed 943 showrooms and the remaining 117 did not possess any.
§ Mr. McEnteeasked the Minister of Transport, whether he can state the approximate proportions of direct current distributing networks and alternating current distributing networks to date of authorised electricity undertakings; at what date completion of conversion is expected; and if he is satisfied with the progress of conversion?
§ Mr. Burgin:In 1936–37 about 87 per cent. of the consumers and about 87 per cent. of the units sold (excluding traction supplies) were supplied from alternating current systems, the remainder being supplied from direct current systems; but information is not available as to the approximate proportion of the respective networks. Many undertakers have already obtained consent to change over to the alternating current system and are in process of doing so, but it is not possible to indicate by what date the complete conversion is likely to be achieved. I am not dissatisfied with the progress which is being made.
2429W
§ Mr. Mathersasked the Minister of Transport, whether he will state the number of domestic electricity consumers to date; the number of domestic electricity consumers participating in two-part tariffs; the average receipts per domestic consumer in pence per unit and the average number of units sold per consumer for the year 1937; and the total number of units sold for domestic purposes for the years 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937?
§ Mr. Burgin:The following are approximate figures for the year 1936–37:
Domestic electricity consumers 7.25 million. Domestic consumers on two-part or all-in tariffs 3.2 million. Average receipts from all domestic consumers 1.635d. per unit. Average sales to all domestic consumers 547 units per consumer. The approximate sales of electricity to all domestic consumers were
Year. Units Millions. 1933–34 … … 2,130 1934–35 … … 2,570 1935–36 … … 3,270 1936–37 … … 4,010
§ Mr. Magnayasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the widespread demand on the part of industrial and commercial concerns and of the agricultural community for more standardised conditions of electricity supplies, and of the similarly strong desires of the private consumers of the Country, of whom many thousands are signatories to a national petition to Parliament; and whether he is prepared to give the House a statement of his intentions in the matter?
§ Mr. Burgin:The desirability of securing more standardised conditions of supply was emphasised by the McGowan Committee, who pointed out that their proposals for the reorganisation of electricity distribution should facilitate and expedite such standardisation. The Government have already announced their intention to introduce legislation to give effect in principle to the recommendations of that Committee.