asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the cost of each of the regional electricity consultative councils in 1976–77.

Records for the financial year 1976–77, the first full year in which my Department provided the finance for the running of the consumers' councils, were not kept in sufficient detail for the expenditure by each council to be readily available. The final expenditure outturn by the 12 area electricity consultative councils was £526,000.