§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether pre-tax(a) electricity and (b) gas prices were above or below the EU/G7 median for 2001; and if she will make a statement. [75129]
§ Mr. WilsonAverage annual electricity and gas prices for 2001 are not yet available for all EU and G7 countries.
In 2001 average pre-tax electricity prices for industrial consumers in the UK were 5 per cent. below the EU/G7 median, based upon the 5 countries for which data are available. Average pre-tax electricity prices for domestic consumers in the UK were 13 per cent. above the EU/G7 median, based upon the 7 countries for which data are available.
Average pre-tax gas prices for UK industrial consumers in 2001 were 20 per cent. below the EU/G7 median, based upon the 7 countries for which data are available. Average pre-tax prices for domestic gas consumers in the UK were 4 per cent. below the EU/G7 median, based upon the 10 countries for which data are available.
Estimates based on data from Eurostat (the EU Statistical Office) and Energy Advice Ltd (a private sector consultant) suggest that in July 2002 industrial electricity and gas prices in the UK, both including and excluding taxes, were generally below the EU median price. Similarly, the estimated data suggests that UK domestic electricity and gas prices, including taxes, were below the EU median price, but were above the EU median price if taxes are excluded.
The DTI regularly publishes this comparison in "Quarterly Energy Prices", which is also available on the DTI web site.