§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Government's current policy on the safety of overhead electric cables.
§ Mr. EggarThe policy is to ensure the continuing protection of the public from dangers arising from the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. This includes overhead lines.
To achieve this, regulations made under the Electricity Act 1989 require the works of electricity suppliers to be used, constructed, installed and protected to prevent danger so far as is reasonably practicable. My Department's engineering inspectorate ensures compliance by carrying out regular safety audits and investigations, and examining the event reports submitted by the companies under the regulations.