observer Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Thought the idea behind privatising the Energy market was to increase "competitition" in order to keep prices low and give folk a choice? This doesn't appear to be working and now Dave's decided to place a statutory cap on prices - doesn't that negate the original intent of privatisation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Yes, no, maybe, what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Okay Obs the oracle, what would the retail price of gas be if privatisation had never happened and British Gas still had the monopoly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Depends on the policy of the Gov in power at the time; any Nationalised industry can either be run at a profit, thus providing Gov with revenue OR can be run at a loss, IE subsidised via general taxation. The latter would certainly keep prices down - which appears to be Dave's wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Some body swerve that Obs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 I got a letter from British Gas to say my bill was outstanding. So I wrote one back saying ' Thanks very much' 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 I like the outstanding bill Wolfie ! Back to the original post,could the idea be slowly dawning on Dave that the economy will never recover unless people have money left in their pockets to spend on extras & other consumer goods ? Unless the utility companies are reined in along with the ridiculous price of travel (either car ownership or public travel) & the extra cost that is increasing food bills (fuel prices) then the economy will become even more stagnant than it is now.Unfortunately for a lot of families the phrase "living to work" is now a reality. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 No body swerve at all Asp; how would anybody guess the energy prices, assuming we'd stayed with Nationalisation - as I said that's dependend on Gov policy. What is clear, is that "the market" is totally incapable of addressing the needs of the poor, if you can't afford the market price you do without. However, in the case of such life dependent essentials as energy, shelter, food and some forms of transport - we need to look to Gov to ensure these are available and affordable to all. Add to this a need to reduce dependency on imported energy and strive for self sufficiency and demand reduction - and we may get an energy strategy that meets the needs of all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Well Obs, as I've mentioned before, government is not on our side. However to say that privatisation is the cause of all our ills is short sighted in the extreme. To protect the vulnerable against the rise in energy prices is indeed the responsibility of government but at the moment they are the ones who are bearing the main responsibility for causing the rise due to their inability to see "global warming/climate change" for the fraud it is (or as an opportunity for easy tax increases). Scrap all this "green" nonsense and build modern gas/coal/nuclear power stations that will produce affordable energy for all. And let market forces decide on fair prices and government provide the protection for the vulnerable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Don't disagree with your attack on the green dreamers; but I'll repeat, private sector companies are in buisiness to make a profit, and the energy companies have been making plenty. I'm sure we all notice (as with petrol prices), when the wholesale price goes up, so does the retail price; but it never comes down when the wholesale price does. Buisinesses arn't in the buisiness of caring about povery - if you can't afford it - tough. As for means tested benefits to relieve the poor, these can finish up costing more in admin costs and still miss their targets. Much more simple to reduce the cost of "essentials" to all, by Gov subsidies funded from Gov revenue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 From the Urban Dictionary: Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers. Sounds like the system we have in this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 So far from the wealth disparity we have Asp - amusing none the less! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Centrica, owner of British Gas, is set to up the price of gas/increase gas bills by 6% from tomorrow, Friday 16/11. Centrica is blaming the cost of carbon reduction targets, upgrading the gas and electric grids and says it also has had a 13% rise in wholesale gas prices this winter. Is it any wonder they are increasing gas bills for customers? Centrica has announced it is set to make a profit of - wait for it - 1.4 billion pounds this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 They should have their profits capped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 or their knees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 maybe if they didn't have to meet those daft carbon emission targets (which obviously don't seem to apply anywhere else in the world (outside Europe) we could have cheaper fuel all round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 It always amazes me how energy is allowed to increase at well above inflation with no thought whatsoever of the hardship it is inflicting on the old & helpless.Unfortunately, no government is going to compulsorily reduce energy prices because they are such a generator of VAT & can be conveniently blamed on greedy energy companies ! As an aside to this article ,did anyone see the list of countries in the Daily Express last weekend to which Britain is giving millions of pounds in aid which included quite a few countries who are sponsors of terrorism ? Methinks Dave needs to channel this cash into helping the poor & needy on his doorstep ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Repeal the Climate Change Act, negotiate ourselves out of the EUSSR and leave them to stew, stop giving obscene amounts of our money to obscene dictators, encourage the shale gas revolution and privatise the BBC. That should do for starters :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Or re-nationalise the Energy Companies, and end this "competition" charade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Charade. Just saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Thats right Obs, make it one big government run monopoly and see the prices plummet!! I think NOT :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Been through this once: if this shambles was nationalised, the price could be controlled through subsidies funded by the (richest) taxpayers - assuming they can stop them avoiding payment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Dream on Obs. That will never happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted November 15, 2012 Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 Well the private company's are just taking us all for a ride, so much for free enterprise, so I'm with Obs nationalise energy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted November 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2012 All depends on whether we get a Government that actually acts in tune with public opinion Asp. I believe over 60% of public opinion is in favour of nationalising the railways; and after the current energy price rip offs, a similar number would welcome Energy nationalisation. Alas, the three main Parties are so divorced from the views of the public, that we'll have to dream on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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