535
Oral Answers
[MR. BESWICK.]
HOUSE OF COMMONS
it not clear that they are suffering a hard- ship by being deprived of all petrol in the second period?
Mr. Gaitskell: No, Sir, they have not been deprived of any petrol, taking the two periods together. This was the only way to arrange for the deduction of the standard ration in their case.
Substitutes (Gas and Producer Gas)
11. Mr. De la Bère asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he is taking to ensure that an increase supply of British gas and producer gas is avail- able for use in transport as a substitute for foreign petrol.
Mr. Gaitskell: The question whether and to what extent substitution as sug- gested by the hon. Member is desirable and practicable is under consideration.
Mr. De la Bère: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the matter cannot lightly be dismissed-indeed, it cannot be dismissed at all? Can we have some really concrete scheme for utilising this gas? The matter is very important.
Mr. Gaitskell: I am far from dismissing the suggestion, but there are many diffi- culties in the way of carrying out the proposition suggested by the hon. Gentle-
man.
Mr. De la Bère: I shall be very happy to overcome them.
ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES
House, Maldon
4. Mr. Driberg asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that, despite the assurances contained in a letter dated 15th April, 1948, from the Parliamentary Secretary to his Depart- ment to the hon. Member for Maldon, the house on Wycke Hill, Maldon, there- in referred to, has still not been con- nected with the supply of electricity avail- able within 200 yards of it; and if he will take immediate steps to secure the fulfilment of the undertakings implied in
this letter.
Mr. Gaitskell: No assurance was given in my Parliamentary Secretary's letter that a supply of electricity could be made available. It indicated that a licence for
109 M 4
Oral Answers
the necessary poles had been issued, which is what the private company sup- plying the electricity had said was re- quired. I am now informed that a connection could not be made from the line which runs within 200 yards of the house because it is already overloaded. In order to give a supply it will be neces- sary to erect half a mile of line together with a transformer station. The supply is unlikely to be available before March,
1949.
Mr. Driberg: Has my right hon. Friend looked at that letter himself, and has he noticed that, in addition to what he quoted from it, the Parliamentary Secretary said that he was
"pleased to say that we have been able to clear
this case? Does not that imply some undertaking that there will be a fairly rapid completion?
Mr. Gaitskell: No, Sir. What my hon. Friend said in his letter was that he was glad that we had been able to clear Mr. Macklen's case from the allocation of poles made to us on 1st April. That letter related solely to poles.
Christmas Trees (Illumination)
7. Mr. Edgar Granville asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if it is the intention of his Department to sanction the use of electric current for illuminated Christmas trees in communal public centres during the Christmas period.
Mr. Gaitskell: As I have already announced, there is no objection to this.
Mr. Granville: Does that answer mean that it is permissible for villages, churches and schools to use current for external illumination during the Christmas period?
Mr. Gaitskell: On Christmas trees,
yes.
Generating Capacity
8. Mr. Dumpleton asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the estimated
electricity generating capacity available at peak for this winter as compared with last year; and whether he will institute an inquiry into the cause of the failure to reach the increase of 1,020,000 kilowatts estimated in the Economic Survey for 1948.
537:
Oral Answers
9 DECEMBER 1948
r. Gaitskell: The available capacity of the stations now controlled by the British Electricity Authority was approxi- mately 9,380,000 kilowatts in January, 1948, and is expected to be approximately 9,707,000 kilowatts in January, 1949. The increase of capacity is less than was esti- mated in the Economic Survey because more plant to the extent of some 200,000 kilowatts--will have to be taken out of service for repair and less new plant- to the extent of between 500,000 and 600,000 kilowatts-will have been com- missioned than was expected.
The British Electricity Authority have already carried out a full inquiry into the reasons why it has not been possible to bring new plant into commission on the scale contemplated in the Economic Survey. The main explanation is that the estimates in the Survey were too high, in the light of the capacity of the manu- facturing industries concerned, their export commitments and shortage of skilled labour and materials. These esti- mates were made before vesting date and before it was possible to correlate precisely all the necessary information about the progress of work at and for the power stations owned and under construction by the many separate undertakings through- out the country.
There were also delays in individual cases where the undertaking concerned altered designs at the last minute, failed to let contracts in time or did not ade- quately supervise the execution of the contracts. More generally, lack of co- ordination in the placing of orders and absence of standardisation, to a large extent inevitable while responsibility was diffused and before it was concentrated in the hands of a single authority, have held up progress.
Mr. Dumpleton: Since the increase in actual capacity has fallen so far short of that estimated for this year in the Economic Survey, can my right hon. Friend say whether the estimated increase of 1,450,000 kilowatts for next year is likely to be reached, or whether the figures given for the subsequent years are really reliable?
Mr. Gaitskell: I am not in a position to give detailed figures for subsequent years. I should certainly think it most unlikely that the figure for 1949 men- tioned in the Survey will be attained.
109 M 5
Oral Answers
538
Mr. Rankin Could my right hon. Friend give the figures for peak demand and peak supply relating to Scotland?
Mr. Gaitskell: Not without notice.
COAL INDUSTRY
Coke-Coal Survey
6. Mr. Skinnard asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has received a report of the Coke-Coal Survey, made at his suggestion, to the Women's Ad- visory Council on Solid Fuel; and what action he intends to take on the con- clusions reached.
Mr. Gaitskell: Yes, Sir. I am refer- ring the Report in the first place to the Domestic Coal Consumers' Council for consideration at its next meeting.
Export Coal (Prices)
12. Mr. Baker White asked the Minis- ter of Fuel and Power what representa- tions and complaints have been received through the Coal Division of the Euro- pean Economic Commission and from Canadian buyers as to the high price of British coal.
Mr. Gaitskel: None, Sir.
PROPOSED BORSTAL INSTITUTION, CAVE CASTLE
15. Mr. Odey asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in view of the general unsuitability of the site owing to its close proximity to the village and to the strong local opposition, he will reconsider the proposal to estab- lish a Borstal institution at Cave Castle.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Ede): I am in con- sultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Town and Country Planning as to the suitability of this site or whether one more suitable can be found. No decision has yet been reached.
Mr. Odey: Can some consideration be given to alternative premises, particulars of which have been sent to the right hon. Gentleman?
Mr. Ede: Yes, Sir. I am considering those alternatives, and their suitability will be borne in mind.