'Prime Minister, if prices don't fall this energy summit will be a failure' blog

Red_sky

Chris Huhne is a !!!!!!. Pardon the expression. He and the govt are so far behind the times they haven't got a clue. Everybody has ditched and switched so many times. What is the point if all the energy companies just continue to raise their prices in tandem. It's all just talk by the govt. Nothing will happen. It's all just political bluff. They want the energy prices artificially high. NOTHING WILL CHANGE. THE PRICE REMAINS THE SAME. THE SAME WITH THE LAST GOVT. THIS GOVT. DOES ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING FOR THE PEOPLE. And you should know better Martin than to cave in to all their rhetoric and bluff.

magyar

RedSky have you considered the possibility that no government has been able to do anything about the problem of high energy prices because in fact the Big 6 are not in some big collaboration? And as for prices being 'artificially high' then why are they amongst the cheapest in Europe?

Red_sky

They seem like they are the cheapest in Europe because their prices are being converted from euros into pounds and since the pound has devalued by 20% over the last couple of years it makes their prices look dearer where as in fact that's only because the pound is worth a lot less now. What's collaboration got to do with it? OFGEM should be allowed to regulate the price so that we are not being ripped off LIKE WE ARE. And they obviously are in some sort of collaboration because ALL their price hikes follow the same trend as proven in BBC's Watchdog a couple of months ago. The government SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. After all they are the government. I mean who rules who in this situation. We didn't elect the 6 big energy companies to govern our country did we? The government should legislate to control their greed and give OFGEM the necessary powers to regulate and to regulate the price.

magyar

Following the same trend: if it rains then everyone puts up an umbrella. Is this 'collaboration' or just people responding to the same external events?

Devalued pound: not quite sure I understand the point, but even if you inflate our prices by 20% we'd still be amongst the cheapest in Europe.

Regulation: let's say the government decided to reduce all prices by 10% overnight, which would remove all profit margin. The first thing that would happen is that the Big 6 would immediately cease any UK investments. So who's going to pay for the new generation we need building over the next 10-15 years?

Red_sky

The same external events? What their profit margins and profits increasing by huge margins year on year. I didn't think you would understand my point about the pound being devalued. There should be more regulation about what they can and can't do. OFGEM should be allowed to regulate the price increases so that we are not paying huge over-inflated price hikes like we have been doing since 2008. And they should not be allowed to profiteer whilst 180 old people freeze to death every day because they are too afraid and can't afford to keep themselves warm because of the vulgar, selfish greed of the big 6 energy companies and their huge increases in profit margins. And if you increase our prices by 20% we would be one of dearest energy suppliers in the EU and that was before the recent huge 18% pirce increases. But you can rest assured. The government will DO NOTHING because they care little about the people so don't worry all your profits, greed and money will remain intact whilst 180 old people freeze to death EVERY DAY and the rest of us try and keep warm. So you have nothing to worry about. Just keep counting your money.

Red_sky

Cold kills 180 British pensioners a day during winter




180 pensioners died every day as a result of cold conditions during the 2010-11 winter months in England and Wales.

The annual ‘Excess winter mortality’ report found that an estimated 21,800 people over the age of 65 died as a result of adverse conditions, on top of the average mortality rate for the same period of time (4 months from December 2010 to March 2011).

Over-65s accounted for 84% of the overall 25,700 ‘excess’ deaths during the winter months.

“The numbers of excess winter deaths are a disgrace,” said Michelle Mitchell, charity director of Age UK. “We like to think of ourselves as a civilised society which protects the most vulnerable but the numbers of older people who do not survive the winter here is far higher than most European countries where the weather is far colder.

“These deaths are the tip of an iceberg of illness, misery and anxiety which grips Britain every winter,” she added. “The Government must do more to tackle fuel poverty and ensure that housing is better insulated.”

Latest estimates from the Hills Review suggest that 4.1 million homes in Britain are living in fuel poverty – being forced to spend over 10% of household income to keep a “satisfactory” heating condition. Fresh concerns have also emerged over the rise of energy prices over recent months as EDF, British Gas, npower, Scottish Power, Scottish and Southern Energy and E. ON have all hiked prices- taking the average household energy bill up £161.

“Many of our poorest pensioners, families and disabled people, put their health at risk by having to choose between heating their homes or putting food on the table this winter,” said Audrey Gallacher, director of energy at Consumer Focus. “This is one of the most pressing and neglected concerns facing the government’s energy strategy.

“Recent energy price hikes have left fuel poverty levels soaring, with energy bills almost double what they were five years ago,” she added. “With around nine million people in England living in fuel poverty under the current measure, this has been a running sore for successive governments and we desperately need a coherent plan to address it.”

Consumer Focus estimates that the spike in energy prices could see 5.1 million homes facing fuel poverty.

magyar

I have every sympathy for people in fuel poverty but blaming the energy suppliers won't help. The not-for-profit company Ebico is actually dearer than most of the Big 6 so I fail to see where there is 'profiteering'.

I repeat my question. If you don't allow energy companies to make a profit then where will new power stations come from?