WHEN deregulation came to the electricity and gas industries politicians promised that the consumer would benefit from cheaper power and better service.

But in the past few weeks we have heard that power prices face big rises and the era of so called cheap power is about to end.

And on top of that energy watchdogs tell us there are more and more examples of the sort of administrative incompetence that has been suffered by disabled and partially sighted Burnley pensioner John Macaulay.

Mr Macaulay, a former ward Labour party and school governors' chairman has been repeatedly billed over a nine month period for nearly £4000 even though he has a card meter. The bills come with threats of further action that are all the more distressing because he seems unable to stop the Npower juggernaut.

Instead of apologising and reassuring the couple the company refuses even to discuss their plight, preferring instead to hide behind the Data Protection Act.

Npower should concentrate on ensuring they have a billing system that's effective and consumer friendly.

'Consumer friendly' doesn't just mean endless unsolicited phone callers trying to persuade you to change your power supplier.