§ Mr. Lubbockasked the Minister of Power (1) how the analysis prepared by the Gas Council of the cost of gas per therm produced and sold, respectively, in the year 1968–69, compares with the estimates given in the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report, Command Paper No. 3567;
(2) whether the cost of gas quoted in Table 3 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report, Command Paper No. 3567, is expressed in pence per therm produced or pence per therm sold;
(3) what are the reasons for the difference between the total cost per therm of gas in 1966–67 quoted in Table 3 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report, Command Paper No. 3567, of 25.64d. and the figure given in the Annual Report of the Gas Council of 22.49d.
(4) if he will give a breakdown of the figures for feedstocks and gas purchased in Table 3 of the National Board for Prices and Incomes Report, Command Paper No. 3567, and a reconsideration of the 1966–67 figure with its equivalent in the Annual Report of the Gas Council; and why the National Board for Prices and Incomes did not produce figures that could be compared directly with those in the Annual Report;
(5) if he will publish the figures supplied by the area gas boards to the National Board for Prices and Incomes for the purpose of their investigation into gas prices
§ Mr. GunterThe National Board for Prices and Incomes give in Table 3 of 213W their Report No. 57 figures for all gas industry costs on a basis of pence per therm sold. These figures are not directly comparable with those in the Gas Council's Annual Report and Accounts for 1966–67, since costs given in that Report are allocated to the various sectors of the gas industry's functions. The N.B.P.I.'s figures are derivable from the Gas Council figures in most cases; the N.B.P.I. figure for "feedstocks and gas purchased" is net of expenses, these expenses being included in "other materials, etc.". I will write to the hon. Member to explain further how the two sets of figures may be reconciled.
The method of presentation of figures was for the N.B.P.I. to decide; it in no way affects the result.
The future estimates supplied to me by the industry agree with those supplied to the N.B.P.I. It would not serve the public interest for me to publish commercial information given in confidence by the gas industry to the N.B.P.I.