§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Energy what change there has been in real terms in the price of gas since 1979; and how this compares with the changes in gas prices in real terms in other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development over the same period, from information available from international sources.
§ Mr. Buchanan-SmithThe percentage change in real terms in the price of gas for the domestic and industrial sectors of the United Kingdom and other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for which there is comparable information, between 1979 and the latest period for which figures are available, is given in the following table.
754W
Percentage change in real terms in the price of gas 1979 to 1983 Industrial sector per cent. Domestic sector per cent. Australia +4.6 +0.1 Belgium +133.0 +69.9 Canada +49.1 +35.1 France *+90.2 *+36.7 Germany *+79.4 *+44.9 Japan +10.5 +23.1 Netherlands *+67.2 +58.4 United Kingdom +30.6 +34.7 United States of America +57.4 +46.4 Source:OECD.
*Percentage change 1979 to 1982 as data for 1983 were not available.