NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
While Tynwald witter over the future of the horse trams and ruminate over the propriety of running the ‘Santa train’ next year the great Manx energy rip-off continues.
Manx consumers woes are further exacerbated this week by the news UK gas and electricity prices continue to fall.
Last week UK Energy giant SSE announced it is to cut its standard gas prices by 5.3% in the latest move by a Big Six supplier to reduce tariffs.
The group said the reduction will take effect on March 29 and will save household gas customers on average £32 a year.
It follows just a week after rival E.ON announced it was lowering gas prices by 5.1% from February 1.
But as Manx consumers gaze on green with envy UK Consumer protection groups are unimpressed.
Martin Lewis, founder of Money Saving Expert, branded the reduction as “trivial”.
He said: “Again it’s just a trivial 5% on gas only, not electricity, nothing close to the drop in wholesale prices.
“Energy firms must be whooping for joy that they can get away with such small cuts.”
SSE’s price cut will not take effect until after Easter, but SSE said it comes three months before its current price freeze comes to an end.
The group pledged to keep energy prices on hold in March 2014 until the end of June 2016.
Ms Rudd called for other UK providers to drop their prices.
She said: “I’m absolutely clear that the market must provide a fair deal for consumers and that’s why I’ve been pressing energy companies to put their customers first and pass on savings to them.
Meanwhile the official regulator is also watching matter closely. Dermot Nolan, chief executive of energy watchdog Ofgem, said:
“This is a move in the right direction, but, if the market is as competitive as suppliers claim, we would expect to see further price cuts.
“Ofgem referred the market to the Competition and Markets Authority because we feel competition is not bearing down fast or hard enough on consumers’ bills.”
However in the Isle of Man Tynwald still embroil themselves in irrelevant debates whose standard hardly rises above gibberish and the OFT complacently sit on their thumbs.
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
31/01/16
THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.
The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
