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 Mr Austin Hopkinson Mr Austin Hopkinson , Mossley

Would not the Amendment suggested by the Parliamentary Secretary conflict with the first part of Sub-section (2)? That really is the part of the Sub-section to which the chief objection has been raised, and it specifically states that the loss is to be made out on that particular year. What it comes to is this: Supposing the generating station people have made a loss on generation. The first part of the Clause says that it shall, unless provided for out of a reserve fund, be apportioned amongst the authorised undertakers within the district of the joint electricity authority who take a supply of electricity from the joint electricity authority in proportion to the number of units supplied to them in that year. Surely the intention of that part of the Clause is that the undertaking authorities shall pay up out of their revenue for that particular year, and that that year stands by itself. The first part of the. Clause surely refers to a loss made and that has to be liquidated at the end of the year, whereas the second part refers to a provision for carrying forward the loss to future years. I submit that the two portions of that Clause are different, and if the hon. Gentleman's Amendment were put in I think he would find, whatever wording was adopted, that it was in conflict with the spirit of the first part of the Section.