§ Mr. Spearingasked the Minister for Energy if he will show in the OFFICIAL REPORT the current cost of coal and oil fuels, respectively, as a proportion of the cost to industrial and domestic consumers of electric power at the main tariff rates, quoting figures in both percentages and actual cost per kilowatt-hour, or other convenient unit.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe current prices paid by CEGB for individual fuels are commercially confidential. Moreover, because of the different patterns of consumers' demands and the different fuel costs per kWh of the power stations brought into service to meet these demands, it is impossible to give actual figures, but I am advised by the Electricity Council that a reasonable judgment of the delivered cost of all fossil fuels involved is 0.40 p/kWh sold to industrial consumers and 0.42 p/kWh sold to domestic consumers.
For typical industrial consumers this represents about 35 per cent. of the price at low load factors and about 60 per cent. of the price at high load factors. For the average domestic consumer it represents about 35 per cent. of the price for ordinary consumption, but on domestic night rates this fuel cost is actually slightly higher than the typical price paid by the consumer.
§ Mr. Hardyasked the Minister for Energy what was the tonnage of coal deliveries expected by the electricity generating boards in November and December 1972 and 1973 and the proportion of coal actually delivered.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI am asking the chairmen of the generating boards to write to the hon. Member in respect of expected deliveries. Actual deliveries during November and December were 13.1 million tons in 1972 and 10.5 million tons in 1973.