HC Deb 12 January 1994 vol 235 cc234-5W
40. Mr. Gallie

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will make an announcement on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the gas industry.

Mr. Neil Hamilton

Decisions on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on gas were announced on 21 December. The two main decisions taken are that:

  1. (i) British Gas should separate fully the operation of its trading and transportation businesses, but will not be required to divest trading;
  2. (ii) British Gas's tariff monopoly will end in April 1996, and competition will be phased in over the two years to April 1998.

A copy of the full text of the announcement has been placed in the Library.

Mr. Wigley

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the number and proportion of homes connected to gas mains supply for all standard regions of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Eggar

British Gas has estimated that the number and proportion of households using gas for each British Gas region in 1992 was as follows:

Households using Gas in 1992
Region Number (thousands) Percentage of all households
Scotland 1,270 67
Northern 960 81
North Western 2,330 91
North Eastern 1,130 87
East Midlands 1,820 83
West Midlands 1,720 83
Wales 820 74
East Anglia 1,440 74
North Thames 2,020 92
South Eastern 2,090 86
South 1,300 81
South Western 1,080 67
Great Britain 17,980 81
Northern Ireland 1— 1—
Region Number (thousands) Percentage of all households
United Kingdom 17,980 79
1 No public gas mains supply.

Source: Monopolies and Mergers Commission report: "Gas and British Gas plc", volume 2. Table 2.10 (British Gas Estimates).