HC Deb 03 May 2001 vol 367 c769W
16. Mr. Bill O'Brien

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on recent trends in gas prices. [159076]

Mr. Hain

The wholesale price of gas has followed the upward trend set in the spring of 2000 and is now trading at around 10p per therm more than a year ago.

This has had a direct effect on prices to all classes of consumer. Centrica, the main domestic supplier, increased their retail price of gas by 4.7 per cent, on 1 April and other domestic suppliers have also raised prices. Industrial and commercial prices have risen on average by around 50 per cent. in the year to 1 March 2001. However they are still substantially lower than in other EU member states.