Mike Weir calls for action over gas prices

Centrica, the owner of British Gas, has signalled that fuel bills could rise again as its profits are squeezed by higher gas and power prices.

In January Centrica announced an increase in gas and electricity charges of 15 per cent.

SNP MP Mike Weir descirbed the prospect of further price hikes as a "hammer blow" for hard pressed residential and business customers.

"This increase is especially hard to swallow given Centrica’s brazen admission that their object is to protect profits in its retail business," he said.

"Centrica announced a 15 per cent increase in bills in January, and four months later they are still more concerned about corporate results than hard pressed customers.

"In previous rounds of price increases the energy companies have all followed suit at a respectable distance. It looks like consumers are to face yet more misery on top of rocketing food, mortgage and transport fuel costs.

"In his budget speech Alistair Darling trumpeted an agreement that energy companies would invest more in helping fuel poor customers, yet in the weekend press it was reported that they were even trying to divert some of this money to the Home Heat Helpline.

"Scotland is an energy rich country, yet our consumers are facing repeated inflation busting price rises simply to protect company profits. The UK Government’s inaction is totally unacceptable, and we must have real action to help hard pressed consumers."