§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether his officials were not aware before the recent European Economic Community report that the United Kingdom price of fuel oil was the highest in the European Economic Community; and in which years since the Second World War the United Kingdom price of fuel oil was consistently at or below the corresponding price paid by industry on the Continent.
§ Mr. Norman LamontMy Department currently has available to it the reports produced regularly by the European Commission on indicative consumer prices and
Average Prices of Heavy Fuel Oil to Industry* January US$/107 Kcals 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 Germany 19.0 21.1 21.5 27.1 26.4 31.8 58.6 94.0 77.6 88.7† 96.5† Belgium 27.0 28.7 25.1 40.4 28.6 26.1 41.1 96.4 69.6 84.9 106.7‡ France 25.0 25.4 20.2 23.5 27.4 29.7 57.1 80.4 73.3 77.3 88.6† Ireland 21.0 20.1 17.8 22.4 27.4 32.9 78.8 112.8 96.5 113.3 135.2 Italy 18.0 17.9 20.1 21.5 22.0 22.6 32.0 63.01 71.6 82.7 89.6† Netherlands 18.0 17.9 17.9 28.2 18.3 25.4 33.6 84.0 74.4 98.2 96.9 United Kingdom 23.0 23.0 21.3 31.9 35.8 34.3 40.8 91.1 86.3 99.5 104.8 †OECD estimated figure Source: OECD§