Energy and Climate Change CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by David Scranage (SMR89)

I would like to put on record how strongly I am opposed to the installation of electricity meters into homes and other buildings. I have suffered with awful headaches for over 15 years and it is only recently that I have come to realise that much of my problem is down to electrical appliances and electricity itself—or “dirty electricity” to be precise.

Recently, my headaches became considerably worse—agonising would not be an overstatement—and I have no doubt that it was because of an “ultrasonic pest repellent” that my neighbour had purchased. Thankfully she has now discarded it and my headaches—although still constant—have returned to a more managable level.

I have absolutely no doubts that electricity meters would have a similarly adverse effect on my health. In fact, I believe I would have to move to a remote area away from these meters if they become commonplace.

You may find my comments slighty hard to believe but I can assure you they are absolutely true. Furthermore, I am certain that I am far from alone and the numbers of other sufferers will only grow and grow due to the proliferation of so many different electrical appliances.

I urge you to carry out more research on these meters and, indeed, I suggest that more studies should take place into “dirty electricity”. I believe that this may well turn out to be a cause of a huge amount of ill health but at the moment there is so little knowledge that people have no idea that electricity in their homes could be making them ill. After all, why would anybody even consider such a possibility? I certainly did not and it is more by luck than judgement that I have made these discoveries.

February 2013