§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average price paid(a) per therm of gas and (b) per kilowatt hour of electricity by domestic consumers in Britain in 1979, 1987 and 1988 at constant prices deflated by the retail prices index.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe average prices paid by domestic consumers in Great Britain, deflated to 1987 constant prices using the retail prices index, are shown in the following table. Data for this year is not yet available.
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Electricity pence per kilowatt hour Gas1 pence per therm 1979 5.35 1979–80 33.6 1987 5.50 1987–88 41.7 1 Prices for gas are available only for years ended 31 March.
§ Mr. Nigel GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the annual cost of heating a small semi-detached standardised house in England, Scotland and Wales by(a) gas, (b) electricity, (c) coal and (d) oil in 1979 and 1987; and what are the projected costs for 1988.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Holt) on Monday 7 November 1988 at columns22-24; this provided the costs of heating a standardised two bedroom house in four regions of the United Kingdom as at April 1988. The four regions were, the West Country, the South-East, the North-East and Scotland. Comparative figures for Wales as of the same date are as follows:
Calculated costs of heating a two bedroom house by fuel in Wales Gas £ Electricity £ Coal £ Oil £ 115-200 133-245 123-230 95-165 (190-280) (205-320) (265-370) (156-225) Figures in brackets include water heating.Indices showing the change in the average United Kingdom costs of heating a house with different fuels (taking April 1988 as 100) measured in real terms are as follows:
Indices of real energy costs domestic sector (April 1988=100) Gas Electricity Coal Oil 1979 84 97 92 115 1987 105 100 105 114 1988 (April) 100 100 100 100