THE UK government appears to have lost control of our gas prices. With North Sea gas dwindling and 69 per cent expected to be imported from Europe by 2019, how do they expect to keep control of consumer prices?

This privatised situation we find ourselves in is just ludicrous.

We were told the idea of privatisation was to create competition to lower prices for consumers.

At least when British Gas was a national company everybody paid the same rate for gas, with the more gas you consumed the more you paid. Consumers should not be paying different prices simply because they shop around.

Many people, especially some of the older community, are penalised because they may find it over-complicated swapping and changing.

This government and subsequent governments in the future should keep treasured UK companies national to avoid this private profit- making farce.

Paul Bowes, Cherrywood Crescent, Fuford, York.