Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the powers given to the Competitions and Marketing Authority on the adequacy of competition in the fuel market sector for rural communities consumer.

The Government provided statutory powers to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to monitor the road fuel market and assess whether competition is working effectively for consumers, including those in rural communities.

The CMA’s recent annual report found that fuel margins remain high and are not explained by operating costs. In line with the CMA’s recommendations, the Government has implemented the statutory Fuel Finder scheme, which requires all petrol stations in the UK to report their fuel prices within 30 minutes of a change, and is intended to improve price transparency, increase competition and lower prices across the UK including for rural consumers.