asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of the taxation of fuel oil, it is proposed to introduce legislation to enable the gas industry to supply gas at special rates to large consumers for power purposes?

In an Interim Report dated 5th December, 1932 (Cmd. 4237), the Departmental Committee appointed to advise on the amendment of existing gas legislation recommended certain changes in the law governing methods of charge by statutory gas undertakers. These recommendations together with those in the Committee's final report, dated 24th March, 1933 (Cmd. 4288) are at present under consideration.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think it would have been better to have made gas cheaper before we made fuel oil dearer?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that private gas undertakings, as well as local authorities who have charge of gasworks, have provision now to sell gas on a sliding scale of prices more especially where gas engines are used?