§ Mr. LYLEasked the President of the Board of Trade the actual reductions in the price of gas within the last six months in the Metropolitan district; whether he will give the percentages of reductions as well as state the number of therms reduced; and whether he will consider the possibility of compelling the companies to attach to the gas demand notes some simple definition of therms, to enable the public to understand exactly what the gas charges are, the more so as the new system of reckoning has entailed large increases of cost?
1912W
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe reductions which have been made by the Metropolitan gas companies during the current year in the charge for gas are as follow:
The total percentage reductions are respectively 15.38, 13.04 and 23.08. The two first-named companies are now under statutory obligation to supply an increased rather than a reduced number of therms per thousand cubic feet of gas as compared with the period prior to the middle of June, the increase being from 4.75 therms to 5 in the case of the Gas Light and Coke Company, and from 5.5 therms to 5.6 in the case of the South Metropolitan Gas Company. The statutory obligation in this respect of the remaining company remains unaltered. I am advised that it is already the custom of the gas companies concerned to explain on the account the nature of the charge on the therm basis, and with regard to the increase of cost of gas, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given him on the 3rd of May last, in reply to a question on this subject.
- Gas Light and Cake Company.—1s. 1d. per therm to the end of June; 11d. per therm at the present time.
- South Metropolitan Gas Company.— 11½d. per therm to the end of June; 10d. per therm at the present time.
- Commercial Gas Company.—1s. 1d. per therm to the end of March; 1s. per therm thence to the end of June; 10d. per therm at the present time.