Mr. loan Evansasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what plans he has for a National Electricity Consumers Council.
§ Mr. HattersleyIn the light of the announcement today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy of his plans for reorganisation of the electricity supply industry in England and Wales, I have decided to establish an Electricity Consumers' Council, initially on a non-statutory basis. I shall, in setting up this council, take account of the recommendations of the National Consumer Council in its report on "Consumers and the Nationalised Industries" and of the Plowden report on the industry.
The council, whose composition and terms of reference I hope to announce shortly, will have a paid chairman and full secretarial staff and will include among its membership the chairmen of the area electricity consultative councils. It is my intention that it should give the electricity consumer an influential and clearly heard voice at national level.