§ Mr. ClaphamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many suppliers of liquid petroleum gas operate in the UK; what is the market share of each; what was the average price per litre of gas supplied in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what plans he has to bring this market within the remit of the regulator. [119604]
§ Mrs. Liddell[holding answer 18 April 2000]: There are around 16 liquid petroleum gas (LPG) suppliers in the UK. On the market share of individual companies, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 9 March 2000, Official Report, column 775W.
The average price paid for LPG by manufacturing industry in Great Britain in 1999 is provisionally estimated at £145.11 per tonne. My Department regularly publishes quarterly estimates of prices paid by manufacturing industry for LPG in the monthly bulletin "Energy Trends".
There are no plans to bring the LPG market within the remit of the gas regulator, the Director General of Gas Supply.