To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the potential effect on domestic consumers of the introduction of competition with gas supplying Hampshire. [34757]

Domestic consumers in Hampshire will be able to benefit from competition in gas supply which is scheduled to be introduced nationally in 1998. Competition will exert a powerful downward pressure on average prices and provide strong incentives for efficiency and providing the quality of service that customers want. Independent suppliers have said they expect to be able to offer domestic customers average savings of 10 per cent. compared with British Gas's current prices.