Energy firms react to news of competition investigation

The bosses of British Gas owner Centrica and SSE have been giving their views following the news that regulators are to investigate whether the "big six" prevent effective competition in the UK energy market.

Centrica chief executive Sam Laidlaw said the big concern was that the move would prevent investment in infrastructure leading to power shortages: "The risk that we will have hours of the year where will have to have some sort of restraint on demand, goes up."

SSE chief executive Alistair Phillips-Davies said he would welcome greater competition as, "we were one of the smaller companies when we started."