§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has(a) to modify or amend the Gas Acts that require gas undertakings to maintain a specified standard of service and safety and (b) to make changes to the standards themselves.
§ Mr. EggarThe Government intend, subject to the availability of parliamentary time, to introduce legislation to provide the basis for the new regulatory system for gas supply to come into operation by April 1996.
We envisage requiring all gas suppliers to adhere to certain core standards of service. These would include codes of practice for providing special services for older and disabled customers, debt and disconnection procedures and the provision of energy efficiency advice. Safety procedures are separately regulated by the Health and Safety Commission.