Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of potential regional disparities in fuel prices; and if he will make a statement.

The Competition and Markets Authority’s road fuel market study found that with the exception of Northern Ireland, differences in average prices between the regions of the UK are relatively small but there was much wider variation within the rural and urban categories than between them.

These differences can be driven by lower competition at a local level, as well as differences in rent and staff costs. In addition, forecourts selling smaller volumes may require a higher price per litre to cover their costs.

The Government will consult on a statutory open data scheme and an ongoing road fuels monitoring function which should help to reduce regional price disparities.