Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he last met with representatives of (a) the Competition and Market Authority, (b) the retail industry and (c) online marketplaces to discuss the tackling of price gouging during the covid-19 outbreak; and how regularly he has met with those representatives to discuss that matter since the beginning of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government is committed to tackling consumer rip-offs and bad business practices, including profiteering.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), business, trade and consumer organisations on Thursday 9 April to reinforce this message. The Ministerial team has ongoing engagement with stakeholders on consumer issues arising from the Covid-19 outbreak.