HC Deb 25 March 1977 vol 928 cc698-9W
Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many consumers of (a) gas and (b) electricity were disconnected for non-payment of accounts in each of the past five years for which figures are available; and how many of these were domestic consumers.

Dr. John A. Cunningham

Disconnections for the past five years for non-payment

Gas Electricity
Year Total number of disconnections Total number of disconnections Disconnections of domestic premises
1972–73 32,934 117,369
1973–74 32,701 113,778
1974–75 34,872 120,330
1975–76 39,842 138,399 125,483
1976–77* 32,624* 90,706*
* Figures for three quarters up to 31st December 1976.
From 1st April 1976 the figures for electricity disconnections have been revised to exclude disconnections which do not relate to domestic premises in regular occupation.

Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many domestic consumers (a) gas and (b) electricity were disconnected for non-payment of accounts during the quarters ended 30th June 1976, 31st September 1976 and 31st December 1976.

Dr. John A. Cunningham

Disconnections of gas and electricity consumers for non-payment of accounts during the past three quarters are given in the following table. In the case of gas separate figures for domestic and non-domestic consumers are not available.

Quarter ending Gas Number of disconnections Electricity Number of disconnections
30th June 1976 9,642 32,276
30th September 1976 13,574 33,288
31st December 1976 9,408 25,142