§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table showing the percentage rise or fall in real terms to the consumer in the price of coal, oil, gas and electricity for each year since 1970.
§ Dr. John CunninghamAn article published inEconomic Trends for November 1976 included tables showing the real price movements for these fuels in index form and based on 1970. The latest annual figures were those for 1975 but monthly figures for 1976 were included where available.
Some further limited price indices for both the domestic and industrial sectors up until the end of the first Quarter of 1977 were published in the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics for 1977". Information for the whole year of 1977 will be included in the 1978 Digest.
Complete information for 1977 is expected to be available soon and consideration is being given to the question of further publication.
§ Mr. Rostasked the Secretary of State for Energy what are his Department's forecasts for the annual rise in real terms of energy prices to 1985.
§ Dr. John CunninghamThe average level of energy prices must be expected to rise in the longer term reflecting the increased costs of production from domestic sources and the increasing scarcity of energy world-wide. It is not possible to predict with any accuracy the course of energy prices to 1985.