IN the current furore over gas and electric prices, all Chris Huhne, the Secretary of State for Energy, can suggest is that we all shop around for the cheapest deal which may change by the week.

I can imagine that in a years’ time, the big six will explain the next rise in prices as being the consumers’ fault.

With us all shopping around and changing suppliers, the claim will be that they have had to take on huge numbers of staff to process all of the swops, and even more to deal with the inevitable complaints.

The banks may well add that they have taken on more staff to cope with the constant creation and cancellation of direct debits and standing orders Perhaps it is just a ploy to get unemployment numbers down?

Eric Gendle, Middlesbrough.