HC Deb 10 July 1996 vol 281 c230W
Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, column 286, if he will express in real terms and where the year of privatisation equals 100 the utility component of the RPI including VAT in (a) 1979 and (b) the latest available period for (i) gas prices, (ii) electricity prices, (iii) electricity and gas prices, (iv) water prices and (v) gas, electric and water prices. [36378]

Mr. Jack

The information requested is given in the table:

Gas Electricity Electricity and gas Water Gas, electricity and water
Year of privatisation 1986 1990 1990 1989 1990
1979 77 98 94 73 91
May 1996 80 100 97 146 104

The components of the retail prices index for electricity and gas, and for gas, electricity and water, assume a privatisation year of 1990—the year that electricity utilities were fully privatised. These figures have been deflated by the RPI, and include VAT for gas and electricity.