§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy how the price of domestic gas in the United Kingdom compares with the price paid by the United Kingdom's European partners.
§ Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for Energy how the price of domestic gas in the United Kingdom compares with the price paid by the United Kingdom's European partners.
§ Mr. Norman LamontThere are always difficulties in making international comparisons of energy prices, but on the basis of the latest available data, which describe the position on 1 January, 1980, Britain had the lowest domestic gas prices of all the EEC countries.
The data compiled by the statistical office of the European Communities are shown in the table below for a representative city in each country. Data are given for two levels of consumption and are based on prices inclusive of tax. Because of the multiplicity of gas marketing companies operating in some countries and the complexity of tariff structures, a national average price for each country is not available.
DOMESTIC GAS PRICES (INCLUSIVE OF TAXES) IN SELECTED CITIES IN THE EEC Pence/Therm Annual consumption City 80 Therms 800 Therms Düsseldorf 81.6 39.6 Paris 80.2 45.0 Rome 39.3 36.4 Rotterdam 41.2 26.0 Copenhagen* 102.7 77.7 Brussels 70.7 33.8 Luxembourg 69.3 25.4 Dublin* 73.5 57.8 London 31.7 19.7 National currencies have been converted at exchange rates current on 31 December, 1979. * Prices for town gas only available.