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<p>Competition in the energy markets is crucial to keeping prices as low as possible
and to raising consumer confidence in the energy market. Since 2010 we have seen 12
new companies enter the British domestic market challenging the existing companies.
Despite this there are concerns about the level of competition therefore Ofgem has
referred the market to the Competition and Markets Authority for a full Market Investigation.</p><p>Energy
policy is devolved to the Northern Irish Assembly.</p><p>DECC publish regional electricity
and gas bills information in Quarterly Energy Prices. Differences between regions
are due to several factors including regional variation in pricing and the proportion
of consumers who have switched supplier onto cheaper tariffs. DECC estimate that in
2013 the average retail electricity bill was highest in the North Scotland and lowest
in the East Midlands and that the average retail gas bill is highest in London and
lowest in North Scotland.</p><p> </p><p><em>Source: DECC Quarterly Energy Prices,
table 2.2.3 for electricity and 2.3.3 for gas <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/annual-domestic-energy-price-statistics"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/annual-domestic-energy-price-statistics</a>.
Provisional estimates for regional bills for 2014 will be published Thursday 18th
December 2014. Northern Ireland data is included in the electricity comparison but
DECC do not publish gas bills for Northern Ireland.)</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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