GAS PRICE INCREASES IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Early day motion 874, tabled 22 March 2004 by David Burnside (UUP). Signed by 20 members.

That this House notes the outrageous 20 per cent. increase for domestic and small business gas users in Northern Ireland, which follows a 11 per cent. increase in gas prices last October; understands that Phoenix Gas is facing a 50 per cent. increase in cost for wholesale gas from British Gas Trading, who have an effective monopoly on supply of wholesale gas in Northern Ireland; calls on the Department of Trade and Industry to intervene with British Gas Trading requiring it to explain its actions and to give the Regulator greater powers to limit such price increases; and urges the Northern Ireland Office to allocate emergency funds to help offset the price increases in the Province, which already suffers from the highest energy costs of any part of the United Kingdom.

Signatures by party: Labour 9, UUP 5, DUP 3, Liberal Democrat 3.