Oral Answers to Questions — Electricity – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 11 June 1964.
Mr Simon Digby
, West Dorset
12:00,
11 June 1964
asked the Minister of Power what study has been made of the design of electricity pylons to make them as inoffensive as possible to the amenities of rural areas.
Mr John Peyton
, Yeovil
The design of pylons has been the subject of considerable study by the Central Electricity Generating Board and its predecessors, who have had the advice of eminent architects such as Sir William Holford, Sir Percy Thomas, the late Mr. A. G. Henderson and the late Sir Reginald Blomfield.
Mr Simon Digby
, West Dorset
Nevertheless, is my hon. Friend aware that these pylons come as something of a shock to people who see them for the first time, and that they will do so when they are placed in new areas? Will he have another look at the French design, which in some respects seems superior to ours?
Mr John Peyton
, Yeovil
I am sure that the Chairman of the Generating Board will take note of what my hon. Friend has said. I agree that these large, high towers are not welcome intruders in the countryside. On the other hand, there is the question of the tremendous cost of the alternative.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
