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06/09/2011
Gas Rise 'Bad News For Struggling Homes'
The rising cost of living has been taking another battering today with news of a huge price hike by the gas supplier, firmus.
The East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has said that news of the 28.4% price increase by Firmus Energy for customers outside Belfast will be bad news for households already struggling with rising bills.
Mr Campbell, who is the DUP's Social Development Spokesman, however said that calls to re-nationalise energy companies were shortsighted and would not benefit customers.
Speaking today Mr Campbell (pictured) said: "Natural gas has been a very cost effective way for many people to heat their homes, and there are still many areas across the Province which would like to see the gas network extended to serve them.
"This price rise from firmus however comes on top of recent price increases by Power NI, high petrol and diesel costs and other household bills such as food," he said.
"Many families across the Province are struggling to cope and any increase in prices will certainly hit hard.
"It is important that we look for all available avenues to assist those who are most in need, and that people avail of any energy efficiency and home insulation measures which are available and which can help to reduce costs," he said.
"Whilst it is important that we look at available avenues to assist families the notion advanced by some that customers would benefit from moving away from privatisation to the old nationalised energy companies is bizarre.
"There is no real evidence produced to demonstrate exactly how customers would be better off, or indeed of actually what the costs of this 1970's idea would be," he added.
"What we should be striving for, in electricity and other markets is to increase the choice and competition available for customers so that they might get the best possible deal.
"What those people who are struggling to cope with increasing prices want to see is what real, but possibly limited, action which can be taken to deal with energy price increases on international markets, not fantasy ideas about re-nationalisation which appear to have been advanced simply in the absence of having anything constructive to say," he concluded.
See: Wholesale Market 'Forces Gas Price Rise'
(BMcC/CD)
The East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has said that news of the 28.4% price increase by Firmus Energy for customers outside Belfast will be bad news for households already struggling with rising bills.
Mr Campbell, who is the DUP's Social Development Spokesman, however said that calls to re-nationalise energy companies were shortsighted and would not benefit customers.
Speaking today Mr Campbell (pictured) said: "Natural gas has been a very cost effective way for many people to heat their homes, and there are still many areas across the Province which would like to see the gas network extended to serve them.
"This price rise from firmus however comes on top of recent price increases by Power NI, high petrol and diesel costs and other household bills such as food," he said.
"Many families across the Province are struggling to cope and any increase in prices will certainly hit hard.
"It is important that we look for all available avenues to assist those who are most in need, and that people avail of any energy efficiency and home insulation measures which are available and which can help to reduce costs," he said.
"Whilst it is important that we look at available avenues to assist families the notion advanced by some that customers would benefit from moving away from privatisation to the old nationalised energy companies is bizarre.
"There is no real evidence produced to demonstrate exactly how customers would be better off, or indeed of actually what the costs of this 1970's idea would be," he added.
"What we should be striving for, in electricity and other markets is to increase the choice and competition available for customers so that they might get the best possible deal.
"What those people who are struggling to cope with increasing prices want to see is what real, but possibly limited, action which can be taken to deal with energy price increases on international markets, not fantasy ideas about re-nationalisation which appear to have been advanced simply in the absence of having anything constructive to say," he concluded.
See: Wholesale Market 'Forces Gas Price Rise'
(BMcC/CD)
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