§ Mr. Bradfordasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the additional financial resources 166W provided to hold electricity tariffs down in Northern Ireland have resulted in equalising electricity costs throughout the United Kingdom; and whether he will postpone his decision to withdraw the extra fuel allowance from Northern Ireland residents in receipt of family benefits who receive no increase in the uprated heating additions applied to the whole of the United Kingdom until such equalisation is achieved.
§ Mr. Adam ButlerOn the question of an extra fuel allowance I have nothing to add to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State on 23 January.—[Vol. 997, c.270.]
The additional financial resources provided in 1980–81 enabled the Northern Ireland Electricity Service to avoid any further widening during the year of the differentials between Northern Ireland electricity tariffs and those elsewhere in the United Kingdom. On 5 March my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that the Government will take steps to bring Northern Ireland electricity tariffs more closely into line with those in England and Wales and to keep them there. I hope in the near future it will be possible to announce how this undertaking will be implemented in 1981–82 and later years.