§ 55. Mr. Palmerasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent general directions he has given to the Electricity Council and the electricity boards in respect to electricity prices.
§ Mr. RidleyNone, but there was close consultation between my right hon. Friend and the Electricity Council and full agreement on the need to keep the price increases to the absolute minimum.
§ 61 and 62. Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what means he used to inform the East Midlands Electricity Board of the Government's wish to limit any increase in the domestic tariff for electricity to 12 per cent., and what effect he expects the authorities to have on the commercial and industrial tariffs for the area and the competitiveness of industry in the East Midlands;
(2) whether he will publish the full details of the advice he gave to the East Midlands Electricity Board about the relationship between domestic tariffs and industrial and commercial tariffs to be charged by the Board.
§ Mr. RidleyThere is continuing consultation between the Government and the Electricity Council on prices as on all major issues and the East Midlands Electricity Board, which consulted the council on proposed tariff changes in the normal way, fixed its new tariffs in the knowledge of the Government's view that in present circumstances domestic price increases should be kept to the minimum.