To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much on average a household in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK with a pre-payment meter paid for (i) electricity and (ii) gas in each of the last three years. (303645)

The Department’s latest estimates for the average annual domestic energy bills and provisional estimates for the year to 2009 and are published in Quarterly Energy Prices, published in September 2009. Figures are not available at constituency or local authority level.

For an average consumer using 18,000 kWh of gas per year and paying their bills by pre-payment meter, the average bill in the North East for gas was £593 in 2007, £623 in 2008 and £744 in 2009. The average bill in Great Britain for gas customers on pre-payments was £589 in 2007, £618 in 2008 and £744 in 2009. Figures are not available for the UK.

For an average consumer using 3,300 kWh of standard electricity per year and paying their bills by pre-payment meter, the average bill in the North East for standard electricity was £401 in 2007, £424 in 2008 and £465 in 2009. The average bill in the UK for standard electricity customers on pre-payment meters was £401 in 2007, £424 in 2008 and £465 in 2009.