§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the percentage rise in the price of (a) electricity and (b) gas since 1979.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe price indices for domestic gas and electricity are both components of the general index of retail prices. Between 1979 and 1984 the index for gas rose by 112.5 and that for electricity by 76.5 per cent. However, between April 1983 and December 1984, the index for gas rose by only 4.2 per cent. and that for electricity by 2.1 per cent., in both cases a fall in real terms.