asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the cost of electricity for lighting should be 1s. and 11d. per unit in Twickenham and Teddington, while at Fulham and Wandsworth it is only 5d., and at Richmond, Surrey, 7½d.; and will he take steps to lower the cost of electricity in Twickenham and Teddington to a more reasonable figure?

I have been asked to reply. The authorised maximum prices at the places in question are as follow:

• Twickenham and Teddington, 1s. per unit.
• Fulham and Wandsworth, 8d. per unit.
• Richmond, for any quantity up to 100 units, £3 10s., and for each unit over 100 units 7d.

Owing to the differences in the conditions under which the supply of electricity is given in different localities, there is no necessary relation between the prices charged in such localities. There is machinery under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1922, whereby the Minister of Transport is authorised to revise maximum prices on the application of the undertakers, the local authority (where that authority is not the undertaker), or an appropriate number of consumers, at recurring intervals of three years.