ENERGY COSTS FOR CONSUMERS

Early day motion 630, tabled 15 January 2007 by Tom Clarke (Labour). Signed by 92 members.

That this House is concerned that energy companies have not passed on to consumers the recent reductions of wholesale prices of gas and electricity; notes that average annual gas bills have risen by 63.3 per cent. since 2003 while average annual electricity bills have risen by 44.2 per cent. during the same period; further notes that consumer bills have not yet come down, despite the fact that wholesale gas prices have fallen by 25 per cent., and electricity prices by 30 per cent., in the past few months; and is greatly concerned that low income families and pensioners are suffering most, while other families are also struggling to meet the unnecessarily high cost of domestic energy bills despite the Government's unprecedented good work in this area through the introduction of the winter fuel payment.

Signatures by party: Labour 75, Liberal Democrat 7, DUP 5, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Conservative 1, Independent 1.