HC Deb 22 October 1973 vol 861 cc692-3
25. Mr. J. H. Osborn

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the prices of the main qualities of smokeless fuel; and how these compare with last year's prices, those of three years ago, and those of five years ago.

Mr. Tom Boardman

Estimates of typical winter prices for various qualities of solid smokeless fuels in a number of representative towns are contained in a table which, with permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Broadly comparable data for last year and three and five years ago may be found in the appropriate issues of the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

Mr. Osborn

What steps will now be taken to encourage the use of smokeless domestic fuels as an alternative to both oil and natural gas, bearing in mind that there have been some closures of smokeless fuel plants and that smokeless fuels are costly to the householder?

Mr. Boardman

The price of smokeless fuel has hardly risen. There has been a marginal increase of between 1 per cent. and 3 per cent. during the past 12 months, and the consistency of those prices should give every encouragement

TYPICAL RETAIL PRICES OF DOMESTIC FUELS IN CERTAIN LARGE TOWNS ESTIMATED 1973 WINTER PRICES
Anthracite Nuts Phurnacite Sunbrite Multi-heat Coalite Large p per cwt. Rexco Large
Aberdeen … … … 153 163 145 — 153 150
Birmingham … … 148 148 132 143 136 141
Brighton … … … 152 154 137 — 138 142
Cardiff … … … 142 142 — 136 — —
Edinburgh … … … 162 160 140 — 141 141
Ipswich … … … 168 168 142 162 146 150
Liverpool … … … 145 145 126 — 122 131
Leeds … … … 154 153 123 — 123 130
London … … … 166 162 146 152 144 152
Manchester … … 148 147 126 — 122 131
Newcastle … … … — 148 119 — 133 —
Nottingham … … 151 152 124 — 125 131
Portsmouth … … … 151 150 138 146 138 —
Plymouth … … … 170 170 157 155 159 167

Typical prices quoted for usually, deliveries of 5–9 cwts. Prices may vary from merchant to merchant and there may also be variations of about 1–2p per cwt. for larger or smaller deliveries.