Fuel Bills (Hansard, 6 December 1994)

§ Mr. Jacques Arnold
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many customers have been disconnected by British Gas for non-payment of bills in the most recent year for which he has figures; and what was the figure in the last year before privatisation.

§ Mr. Heseltine
The number of disconnections by British Gas for non-payment of bills for the year to the end of June 1994 was 15,420. This compares with 42,468 disconnections in the year to the end of September 1986.

§ Mr. Jacques Arnold
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many customers have been disconnected by regional electricity companies for non-payment of bills in the most recent year for which he has figures; and what were the figures in the last year before privatisation.

§ Mr. Heseltine
Disconnection figures are kept by the Office of Electricity Regulation. However, I can confirm that 3,297 electricity customers were disconnected by regional electricity companies in 1993—the lowest number on record. In comparison, 67,421 customers were disconnected in the 12 months to 31 March 1990.

§ Mr. Jacques Arnold
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how prices, including VAT, for domestic consumers of electricity have changed in(a) the past 10 years and (b) the past two years.

§ Mr. Heseltine
Between the third quarter of 1984 and the third quarter of 1994, prices of electricity, including VAT, for the domestic consumer have increased by 54.7 per cent. in cash terms and fallen by 4.7 per cent. in real terms. Between the third quarter of 1992 and the third quarter of 1994, prices have increased by 4.2 per cent. in cash terms and fallen by 1.1 per cent. in real terms. These price trends are published regularly in the Department of Trade and Industry's statistical bulletin, "Energy Trends", table 28.

§ Mr. Jacques Arnold
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how prices, including VAT, for domestic consumers of gas have changed in(a) the past 10 years and (b) the past two years.

§ Mr. Heseltine
Between the third quarter of 1984 and the third quarter of 1994, prices of gas, including VAT for the domestic consumer, have increased by 30 per cent. in cash terms and fallen by 20 per cent. in real terms. Between the third quarter of 1992 and the third quarter of 1994, prices have increased by 4 per cent. in cash terms and fallen by 1.3 per cent. in real terms. These price trends are published regularly in the Department of Trade and Industry's statistical bulletin, "Energy Trends", table 28.