§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the price of fuel oil supplied to the CEGB has risen as fast as the price of crude oil since 1973; what is the cost per useful therm compared with the cost of coal supplied to the CEGB; and what would be the cost if the £ sterling were further devalued to $1.50.
§ Mr. BennI am informed by the CEGB that between September 1973 and September 1976 the cost of crude oil delivered to the United Kingdom has risen by a factor of 4.6, while fuel oil costs to the CEGB, including duty, have increased 273W by a factor of 3.8. In the same period the cost of coal to the board has increased by a factor of 2.6. Precise details of the price paid by the CEGB for fuel oil is a matter of commercial confidentiality, but at present coal has a significant edge over fuel oil.
I do not accept the hypothesis in the last part of the Question.