Orders of the Day — ELECTRICITY (SUPPLY) BILL [Lords].

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am ar 25 Gorffennaf 1922.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Commander Hon. Joseph Kenworthy Commander Hon. Joseph Kenworthy , Kingston upon Hull Central

I second the Amendment with great willingness. We had a similar example of this extraordinary provision for making good the results of inefficiency in another Bill emanating from the Department of the hon. Gentleman or his predecessor, namely, the Railways Bill. In that Bill, charges for freights are always to be arranged so that there is no loss to the company, however inefficient they are, with a certain sort of safeguard as to certain Committees being able to say whether they are inefficient or not. The principle is not that the companies should make good their profit and loss on trading account by greater efficiency, by looking for the wastage, and, if necessary, getting rid of the men who have done badly and replacing them by others, but it is simply arranged that they are to get it from the general consumers. That was carried through despite the opposition of several hon. Members. The appetite grows on what it feeds on, and when the Electricity Bill is introduced we have the position suggested that in managing their concern they may run into debt, they may find that they are spending more money than is coming in, and the consumer, the general body politic, have to make good the losses. That is putting a premium on inefficiency. It is the sort of legislation that we would expect from this Government, and in particular from the Department over which the hon. Member presides.