Transport: Fuel Prices

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Thursday 24th November 2011 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Wilcox]

I am very interested in the second part of that question. That sounds a very good idea, and I shall take it away if I may. My answer to the first part, of course, has to be that the Government believe that the best guarantee of a good deal for consumers is an open and competitive market—so what he suggested at the end of the question would be very helpful. However, if there is a concern that petrol prices at motorway service stations are affected by anti-competitive practices, the responsibility falls back to the Office of Fair Trading, and the Government really cannot interfere with that.

[Lord Campbell-Savours]

Do those high prices reflect high rents being paid by petroleum companies for motorway sites to the Department of Transport?

[Baroness Wilcox]

In answer to the noble Lord’s question, we believe that the best guarantee of a good deal for consumers is an open and competitive market. I cannot answer it any more clearly than that.