§ Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the annual revenue which would accrue to the electricity industry if (a) that industry were treated pari passu with the private sector as regarding its entitlement to adjust its tariffs to take account of past losses, and (b) the tariff increases recommended by the Price Commission had been authorised in full.
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§ Mr. Tom BoardmanHad the provisions of paragraph 49(i) of the Stage 2 Price Code (SI 1973 No. 658) been applicable to the area electricity boards at the time of their tariff applications earlier this year it is estimated that they might have permitted tariff increases bringing in an extra £123 million in a full year. Tariff increases under paragraph 75 of the code operative from 1st September 1973 and aimed at producing additional revenue in the remaining part of 1973–74 sufficient to hold the board's deficits in that year at the 1972–73 levels would, it is estimated, have produced an extra £82 million in 1973–74.