§ Mr. Liddallasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether his attention had been drawn to the effect upon the cost of electricity for industrial purposes of the increase in the cost of coal in the last 10 years and to the fact that electricity undertakings, municipal and company alike, have incorporated in their agreements a coal clause which only takes account of the cost of coal per ton, and not of the 379W increased thermal efficiency of generating stations; and whether he will direct the Electricity Commissioners to discuss with the industry a form of coal clause more suited to the circumstances?
Major Lloyd GeorgeAs my hon. Friend will appreciate, this subject is somewhat complex, and even if it were possible in present circumstances to agree a coal clause of substantially general application, it could not be made generally operative without interfering with numerous existing contracts entered into freely between industrial consumers and electricity undertakings. Further, the benefits derived from improving thermal efficiency, to which my hon. Friend refers, have unfortunately during the war proved less substantial than in peace-time conditions. If, however, my hon. Friend will send me particulars of any case where, in his view, a coal clause is not working equitably, I shall be pleased to refer it for consideration to the Electricity Commissioners.