§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Energy in how many cases during each of the last five years for which records are available have representatives of electricity boards broken into or otherwise entered private homes without permission from the householder, so as to disconnect electricity where the electricity bill has not been paid.
§ Mr. EadieRepresentatives of electricity boards do not enter consumers' premises to disconnect electricity supply without first obtaining the householder's permission, or a magistrate's warrant where such permission is refused.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether he will issue a general direction to the Electricity Council to stop the cutting off of electricity supplies from the homes of unemployed consumers other than in exceptional cases;
(2) whether he will issue a general direction to the Electricity Council to stop the cutting off of electricity supplies 165W from the homes of consumers who are receiving supplementary benefits;
(3) whether he will issue a general direction to the Electricity Council to stop the cutting off of electricity supplies from the homes of consumers on the advice of local social services departments.
§ Mr. EadieI am confident that the area boards will continue to deal with each case on its merits and act in a sympathetic and humane manner within the guidelines of the present liaison arrangements with the Department of Health and Social Security, Supplementary Benefits Commission and welfare organisations.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the average cost of disconnecting the supply of electricity from the home of a consumer, resulting from non-payment of charges;
(2) what is the average cost of reconnecting the supply of electricity to the home of a consumer, cut-off through non-payment of charges;
(3) what is the average, the minimum and the maximum charge for reconnecting the supply of electricity to the home of a consumer, disconnected through non-payment of charges.
§ Mr. EadieIt is not possible to quote average charges as the circumstances of disconnection and reconnection vary considerably. The electricity area boards aim to do no more than recover costs. A typical cost of disconnection and re-connection of supply at present is some £3 for each operation, where there is access to the consumer's premises. If external work has to be done, such as excavating and rejoining, the cost can be considerably higher.
§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many disconnections of electricity due to non-payment of charges have been carried out to the homes of consumers during each of the past 10 years for which records are available; how many such disconnections have been carried out during each of the latest 36 months for which records are available; how many and what percentage of such homes were reconnected within a period of seven days or less, 14 days or less, one month or less, 166W three months or less, six months or less, and 12 months or less, respectively; and how many and what percentage of such homes remain disconnected.
§ Mr. EadieFigures for each of the past 10 years of disconnection due to non-payment of electricity accounts are not available. However, for those years when a review of disconnections has been carried out, the figures are as follows:
Area boards estimate that some 70 per cent. of consumers disconnected are reconnected within two days and nearly 90 per cent. within a month.
1969 125,000 1970 121,000 1971 119,000 1974–75 120,000