HC Deb 08 July 1976 vol 914 cc664-6W
Mr. Hall-Davis

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in the light of the observations he has received from the Electricity Council on the recommendations of the Fuel Payments Review Body, he will give a general direction to electricity boards that they should give guidance to consumers by advertising and direct mailing as to how to read meters and convert the reading into charges accruing, that they should make available monthly budget facilities to all domestic consumers and provide, on request and without charge, prepayment meters for pensioner households.

Mr. Oakes

The Government are considering the report of the Fuel Payments Review and the views of the industries and consultative/consumer councils and others on the recommendations. When a decision is reached my right hon. Friend will consider how best it can be implemented.

Mr. Mike Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish a full list of the sources from which each figure and table in "Energy Tariffs and the Poor" is calculated.

Mr. Oakes

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 18th May 1976; Vol. 911, c. 475], gave the following information: The list of sourses is as follows:

Main report para 10 Department of Energy and Scottish Economic Planning Department estimates para 11 Department of Energy estimates based on information from the British Gas Corporation para 17(i)

  1. (a) Information from Annual Reports of the British Gas Corporation, Electricity Council and Scottish Electricity Boards 1974–75.
  2. (b) Department of Energy estimates based on information from British Gas Corporation.
  3. (c) Estimates by the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of
Energy based on analyses of the Electricity Council Sample Survey of Domestic Consumers 1972 and Family Expenditure Survey 1973. para 17(ii) as (b) and (c) of para 17(i) para 17(iii), (iv) as (c) of para 17(i); also Department of Energy estimates and information based on Electricity Council Annual Report. para 19 as para 17(iii) and (iv) para 20 Estimates by the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of Energy based on an analysis of the Family Expenditure Survey 1973. para 21 as para 20 para 23 as para 10 para 25 as para 20; also Department of Energy estimates based on information from the British Gas Corporation paras 26–29 Department of Health and Social Security estimates based on administrative statistics. para 30 as paras 26–29; also Department of Energy estimates. para 32 Annual Reports of British Gas Corporation, Electricity Council and Scottish Electricity Boards. para 32A-D Department of Health and Social Security estimates with further information from the Department of the Environment. para 32 E Department of Energy estimates based on estimates by the gas and electricity industries. paras 34, 36 Department of Energy estimates. para 42 Scottish Economic Planning Department estimates, and information based on Annual Reports of the Electricity Council and Scottish Electricity Boards. paras 44, 47 Department of Energy estimates.

Appendix A Tables 1, 4 Electricity Council Sample Survey of Domestic Consumers 1972; further analysis and estimates by Department of Energy. Tables 2, 3, 5, 6 Family Expenditure Survey 1973; further analysis and estimates by the Department of Energy and the Department of Health and Social Security.

Appendix B para 4 "The United Kingdom in Figures" 1975 edition. para 5 Department of Energy estimates. para 6 Department of Energy estimates and Electricity Council Sample Survey of Domestic Consumers 1972. para 12 Department of Energy estimates. para 13 As para 4. Also Annual Report of British Gas Corporation. para 14 Electricity Council estimates. para 15 Department of Energy estimates. paras 17–19 paras 21–25 Inland Revenue estimates para 27