Stop this unfair subsidy says AM

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 8th Sep 2008

A BBC Radio 4 'You and Yours' programme has revealed that French-owned energy giant EDF Energy has raised prices to its UK customers by 22% so far this year, whilst in France the intervention of the French Government has forced them to keep the rise to a mere 5%.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Social Justice Spokesperson, Peter Black has condemned the hidden cross subsidy:

"This huge disparity will make EDF customers in Wales and the rest of the UK wonder what on earth the energy regulator Ofgen and the government are up to.

"It appears from the figures revealed on the programme that UK consumers are subsidising those in France. Yet neither the regulator nor the Labour government appear prepared to do anything to make this company treat its UK customers better.

"Fuel poverty is defined as having to spend more than 10% of income on fuel. Approximately 5m people are in this situation in the UK. Statistically, that would suggest around 190,000 people in Wales. However, as Welsh average earnings lag behind those in the UK, our figure will be higher.

"Winter is around the corner. The Labour government and the regulator in Westminster must take urgent steps to ensure that pensioners, the sick and those on low fixed incomes in Wales are protected from any attempt on the part of the energy companies to use the huge profits they make here to prop up their businesses in other countries."