§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to ensure that sufficient meter licensers are employed by his Department to prevent delays in meeting the demand for prepayment meters, following his announcement that these are to be available on request.
§ Mr. Norman LamontI am satisfied that the full complement of meter examiners employed by my Department is sufficient to meet the industries' requirements for the certification of meters.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy which area electricity boards have stocks of prepayment meters which cannot be issued to consumers applying for them due to delay in licensing.
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§ Mr. Norman LamontI am asking the chairman of the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Energy, during each of the years 1975 to 1980, how many inspectors of electricity meters were employed by his Department to license these meters for use; and how many (a) credit meters and (b) prepayment meters were so licensed each year.
§ Mr. Norman LamontThe figures for meter examiners employed and total meters certified are as follows:
Meter Examiners Employed Meters Certified 1975–76 13 1,954,275 1976–77 12 1,871,890 1977–78 11 1,919,608 1978–79 11 2,152,827 1979–80 9 2,145,691 Numbers of credit and prepayment meters certified are not separately recorded and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.