§ Baroness Jegerasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether electricity boards have a statutory right to issue estimated bills to consumers without reading meters.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Baroness Denton of Wakefield)Regional Electricity Companies (RECs) may issue estimated accounts subject to overall standards set and published by the Director General of Electricity supply under Section 40 of the Electricity Act 1989. The standards require at least one firm meter reading to be taken every year for a minimum percentage of tariff customers, including domestic customers. The levels of performance required under the standards were increased on 1st April 1993 and will increase again on 1st April 1994. Copies of the standards are available from either the Office of Electricity Regulation or the RECs.