By: Michael Harrison Business Editor,
The Independent – United Kingdom
Published: Jun 30, 2006
Thousands of rural households that rely on LPG for cooking and heating are being overcharged by a handful of dominant suppliers, including two giant oil companies, the Competition Commission ruled yesterday.
Unveiling plans for a shake-up in the market, the commission said that prices were higher than they needed to be because the big four LPG firms – Shell, BP, Calor and Flogas, which control 90 per cent of the market -discouraged competition and made it difficult for households to switch to other suppliers.
BP is also under investigation in the US for allegedly fixing the price of propane used by millions of Americans for cooking and heating in trailers and rural homes. A former BP energy trader has already pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to manipulate prices.
About 150,000 UK homes, mainly in rural areas, have to use LPG for cooking and heating because they do not have access to mains gas. In 2003, the latest year for which the commission has figures, the average LPG bill was pounds 800 – more than double the amount typically charged by British Gas.
After a year-long investigation, the commission has announced measures to increase competition and bring down prices. Key among these is that customers will henceforth be allowed to switch supplier without having to have a new tank installed. At present, they have to pay the upfront costs of one tank being replaced by another.
The commission also intends to outlaw the use of lengthy fixed-term contracts and notice periods which tend to be found only in the UK.
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
