HC Deb 05 April 1974 vol 871 cc454-5W
Mr. Onslow

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what action he is taking to encourage industry to economise in the use of electricity.

Mr. Eadie

When my right hon. Friend announced on 21st March the lifting of the remaining restrictions he appealed to every consumer to use electricity as economically as possible and to cut out waste. We are considering what measures may be desirable further to encourage economy in the longer term.

Mr. Warren

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what quantitative definitions are used in his Department of small, average and large domestic consumers of electricity, respectively.

Mr. Eadie

The following consumptions have been used by the Electricity Council and my Department to illustrate the likely effects of the electricity price increases announced in the Budget Statement:

Domestic consumer Annual consumption
(kWh)
Small 500 (no off-peak or night rate consumption)
Average 4,500 (of which 900 off-peak and night rate consumption)
Large 12,000 (of which 9,000 off-peak or night rate consumption)

Mr. Tomney

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide further information of the scheme for provision of a pilot gasification unit to make low calorific value gas for burning in turbines for electricity generation.

Mr. Eadie

This is one of the development projects proposed by the National Coal Board as part of a programme aimed at developing fresh markets for coal. No doubt this programme will be one of the subjects to be considered by the tripartite examination which my right hon. Friend has set up to inquire into the future of the coal industry.