From the 1980s many formerly state-owned industries in the United Kingdom were privatised. Initiated by Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government, privatisation intended to reduce central government’s role on the national economy.
British Aerospace was the first large industry to be auctioned off in 1981, followed by Cable and Wireless (1981) and British Telecommunications (1984). Shortly afterwards British Gas (1986), British Airways (1987), British Steel (1988) and the water utilities (1989) were all privatised. More recently British Coal (1995) and British Rail (1996) were also sold off as private companies.
This film was used to publicise the changes to the electricity industry in 1990, telling the public how to get involved in one of the last privatisations that took place.
Following Vesting Day on April 1 1990, the emergence of newly-created privatised electricity companies replaced the old industry that had been nationalised since 1947.