Gas prices to "to top £1,000 a year"

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A topic from News & Current Affairs: Business

duncanFri 18/07/08 08:08

So says the MD of Centrica:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7512971.stm

Now I don't dispute the fact that prices of the raw products are going up (whether by natural supply/demand or the OPEC Cartel just trying to rake in more money is a different issue....). But there are a few things that got me with this.

Firstly, he said:

"I think people will change the temperature they keep the house, they'll be more cognisant of energy waste, they'll buy better appliances."

I have a great issue with this bit. There are people (the elderly and infirm) who can't reduce the temperature they have the house - I know on a personal level since my mum's operations she's been increasingly cold, and has needed the heating on - she can't not....

Also his comment about people buying better appliances. Is he serious??? I know it sounds like a good idea - we should all have A rated boilers etc. But, and its a big but, the people who are most affected by the increasing costs are the people who are least able to buy new appliances! Those on lower wages, who are struggling as it is are not going to have the £1000 or so it will cost for a new boiler! So they'll have to continue with what they have...

My second issue is with the fact that Centrica continually publishes massive profits (least I'm sure I've read that... Feel free to correct me on this!). I know its a capitalist society, and companies have to make money, but I think companies like Centrica who provide something that is basic to human needs (ie the gas/electricity with which we stay warm and cook by....) should have a greater responsibility to the public than they do their shareholders. The report reads like they are going to up the prices - purely to maintain their profits.... I'd love to see them pouring those profits into helping those who might want to be more efficient but just can't (ie the low wage people I identified above). Not going to happen tho is it....

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