Electricity Prices For Steel Industry

EDM number 118 in 1994-95, proposed by Denis MacShane on 24/11/1994.

That this House deplores the increases in electricity prices faced by the steel and other manufacturing industries following the privatisation of the electricity industry; notes that between March 1987 and January 1994, electricity costs for 80 MW users rose by 43.4 per cent, compared to a 12.5 per cent. rise over the same period for the same users in France, and a cut in price in Germany and Belgium; expresses concern that British manufacturing firms, including the steel industry, have to pay a higher price in pence per kWh than France, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands; and urges the Government to intervene to stop the chiefs of the privatised monopoly electricity companies from awarding themselves ever bigger salaries and share options and instead get prices down to a European norm so that British manufacturing can compete fairly with its European competitors. (Relevant registered interest declared).

This motion has been signed by a total of 53 MPs.