HC Deb 28 January 1975 vol 885 cc121-2W
Mr. Mike Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether he will now consider a two-tier pricing system, similar in principle to that he is considering for petrol, for domestic consumers of electricity and gas;

(2) whether he has taken any steps to encourage the conservation of energy, particularly of electricity and gas, by industrial consumers through adjustments in the nature rather than the level of the tariffs they pay for these products;

(3) whether he will now consider a two-tier pricing system, similar in principle to that which he is considering for petrol, for industrial consumers of electricity and gas.

Mr. John Smith

My right hon. Friend is prepared to consider any practical method of energy conservation. But all ideas so far put forward for structural tariff changes designed to discourage consumption, including two-tier pricing for electricity and gas, would have many disadvantages.

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