UNDERSTANDING GAS BILLS

Early day motion 398, tabled 5 December 2006 by Gordon Prentice (Labour). Signed by 58 members.

That this House notes with dismay the complex calculations required by British Gas customers to enable them to understand and check their gas bills; further notes that customers are told by British Gas that they calculate gas charges by converting the customer's units to kilowatt hours (gas units used x metric conversion factor [2.83] x volume conversion factor [1.02226400] x calorific value [39.7589] divided by kilowatt hour conversion factor [3.6] = kilowatt hours used); notes that for metric meters they do not apply the imperial to metric conversion; further notes that customers are informed that energy is charged at 2 base rates, the first 12.526 kWh per day at 4.959 pence per kWh and the remaining kWh used at 2.801 pence per kWh; further notes that customers are told again that energy is charged at 2 base rates, but, this time, the first 12.526 kWh per day at 3.412 pence per kWh and the remaining kWh used at 2.492 pence per kWh; and believes that these calculations would defeat most people and calls upon British Gas to devise a more straightforward and simplified gas bill.

Signatures by party: Labour 38, Liberal Democrat 10, Conservative 5, DUP 3, Independent 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.