HC Deb 21 February 1979 vol 963 cc232-4W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table showing at current and at constant prices the costs per unit, therm and so on of each of electricity, gas, coal and oil in 1950, 1960 and each year since 1970, for domestic users.

Dr. John Cunningham

The requested information is shown in the attached tables.

The records available to this Department for the period concerned are such that strict comparability between the fuels is not possible. The figures for gas relate to financial years, those for electricity are on calendar year basis while the information for oil and solid fuels relate to December in each year.

Average net selling values for electricity and gas are derived from the revenues divided by the quantities sold to domestic consumers. These statistics of unit sales are influenced by changes in patterns and levels of consumption in additon to changes in tariffs. The tabulated data reflect expenditure by consumers and do not take account of varying efficiencies of the appliances or circumstances in which the fuels are used. The constant value statistics are based on the General Index of Retail Prices or the Interim Index of Retail Prices.

ELECTRICITY: AVERAGE NET SELLING VALUES
Domestic Consumers, Great Britain
At current prices Pence per kwh In constant values of the pound in 1950 terms
1950 0.563 0.563
1960 0.678 0.487
1970 0.838 0.408
1971 0.901 0.401
1972 0.956 0.397
1973 0.968 0.369
1974 1.156 0.379
1975 1.674 0.442
1976 2.148 0.487
1977 2.483 0.486

GAS: AVERAGE NET SELLING VALUES
Domestic Consumers, Great Britain
At current prices Pence per therm In constant values of the pound in financial year 1950–51 terms
1950–51 6.17 6.17
1959–60 10.38 7.12
1960–61 10.75 7.26
1969–70 10.70 5.17
1970–71 10.58 4.73
1971–72 11–08 4.53
1972–73 11.15 4.26
1973–74 10.96 3.79
1974–75 11.63 3.41
1975–76 14.35 3.38
1976–77 16.65 3.40
1977–78 18.50 3.32

COAL AND OIL PRICES
Domestic Consumers
Coal*
At current prices Pence per cwt. In constant values of the pound in December 1950 terms Pence per cwt.
December 1950 25.0 25.0
December 1960 45–58 31–39
December 1970 65–94 29–42
December 1971 72–104 29–42
December 1972 80–115 30–44
December 1973 80–118 27–4)
December 1974 97–147 28–42
December 1975 129–183 30–42
December 1976 157–234 31–47
December 1977 186–254 33–44
Standard Grade Burning Oil
At current prices Pence per gallon In constant values of the pound in December 1950 terms Pence per gallon
December 1950 5.8 5.8
December 1960 7.3 4.9
December 1970 9.5 4.2
December 1971 10.7 4.4
December 1972 11.4 4.3
December 1973 15.4 5.3
December 1974 23.0 6.6
December 1975 29.5 6.8
December 1976 37.3 7.5
December 1977 39.2 7.0
Gas Oil
At current prices Pence per gallon In constant values of the pound in December 1950 terms Pence per gallon
December 1950 5.1 5.1
December 1960 6.4 4.3
December 1970 8.7 3.9
December 1971 9.8 4.0
December 1972 10.3 3.9
December 1973 15.4 5.3
December 1974 23.9 6.9
December 1975 29.4 6.8
December 1976 35.9 7.2
December 1977 39.6 7.1
* The December 1950 price is for central London and the December 1960 prices are the range in the London area. Otherwise the range of price is for certain large towns (as in Table 86 in the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 1978" i.e. including London).
Typical prices for deliveries of 200 gallons in London and the "inner zone".
Typical prices for deliveries of 500 gallons in London and the "inner zone".