"The Government now has proof of the voluntary 12-month price freeze given to Labour by the lines companies as an alternative to Max Bradford's clunky and unworkable legislation," Labour energy spokesman Pete Hodgson said today.

Mr Hodgson released a letter sent to Mr Bradford by the Chairman of the Electricity Networks Association, Ken Forrest, confirming the undertaking.

Mr Forrest states that the association surveyed its members on whether they were willing to undertake not to increase their lines charges before July 2000 and got commitments from companies supplying over 90 percent of domestic power users.

He further says that the results of this survey were provided to the Labour Party at the Labour Party's request.

"It was this information which gave Labour the confidence to oppose a bill most experts believe will not work and cannot be made to work because it is aimed at the wrong target and because it will plunge the Government and the industry into a sea of expensive and time-wasting litigation.

"Labour plans to use the moratorium created by the freeze to develop a sensible pricing regime, one which also addresses the anti-competitive practices at the retail end of the market," Mr Hodgson said.

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