Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of a) rising diesel and b) rising petrol costs on consumers in West Dorset since the start of the conflict in the Middle East.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Chancellor and Secretary of State recently met with fuel retailers to set out a clear message: unfair practices will not be tolerated.
We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The government has also introduced the statutory Fuel Finder, which will increase transparency for UK road fuel prices and the CMA have the power to take enforcement action for non-compliance.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what regulatory measures his Department is considering to improve transparency in fuel pricing in West Dorset following the conflict in Iran.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Chancellor and Secretary of State recently met with fuel retailers to set out a clear message: unfair practices will not be tolerated.
We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The government has also introduced the statutory Fuel Finder, which will increase transparency for UK road fuel prices and the CMA have the power to take enforcement action for non-compliance.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of price disparities between petrol stations in a) rural areas and b) West Dorset.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel Finder is now live, with all petrol filling stations in the UK required to report their latest prices. Increasing price transparency will increase pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract consumers by lowering their prices, including in areas where competition has historically been weaker, such as rural areas.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have the power to take enforcement action for non-compliance, including imposing financial penalties.
The CMA recent annual report found that competition has not strengthened since 2023, which was consistent with significant price variations within and between local areas. The CMA has statutory information gathering powers to monitor the road fuels market and will use Fuel Finder data to further assess regional pricing.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to address regional variations in petrol prices.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel Finder is now live, with all petrol filling stations in the UK required to report their latest prices. Increasing price transparency will increase pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract consumers by lowering their prices, including in areas where competition has historically been weaker, such as rural areas.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have the power to take enforcement action for non-compliance, including imposing financial penalties.
The CMA recent annual report found that competition has not strengthened since 2023, which was consistent with significant price variations within and between local areas. The CMA has statutory information gathering powers to monitor the road fuels market and will use Fuel Finder data to further assess regional pricing.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent steps his Department is taking to prevent price gouging by fuel retailers a) rural areas and b) West Dorset following the conflict in Iran.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Chancellor and Secretary of State recently met with fuel retailers to set out a clear message: unfair practices will not be tolerated.
We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The government has also introduced the statutory Fuel Finder, which will increase transparency for UK road fuel prices and the CMA have the power to take enforcement action for non-compliance.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support consumers in West Dorset with a) rising petrol and b) rising diesel costs.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has implemented the statutory open data scheme Fuel Finder, with all UK petrol filling stations now required to report their prices for petrol and diesel within 30 minutes of a change. Increasing price transparency will increase pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract consumers by lowering their prices.
Fuel Finder data is made available to data services such as mapping software and price comparison apps to enable consumers to compare petrol and diesel prices more easily and to shop around for the cheapest fuel.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what regulatory measures his Department is considering to improve consistency in fuel pricing in West Dorset.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has implemented the statutory open data scheme Fuel Finder, with all UK forecourts now required to report their latest fuel prices, helping to improve transparency and increase competitive pressure on fuel retailers. The Motor Fuel Price (Open Data) Regulations 2025, which provide the legal framework for the scheme, came into force in early 2026. These measures apply nationally, including in West Dorset.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have the power to take enforcement action for non-compliance, including imposing financial penalties.
The CMA also has statutory information gathering powers to monitor the road fuel market and advise the Government if further intervention is required.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the costs associated with legal processes required to access Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to enable disabled young people to access funds held in Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs when they turn 18.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to simplify the process for families seeking access to Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs for disabled young people.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Disability refers to a range of conditions, many of which do not prevent holders of Child Trust Funds and JISAs accessing them in the usual way. Where parents and carers need to engage with provisions under the Mental Capacity Act to manage the finances of a child, the Ministry of Justice has provided a guide, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-how-to-guide-to-help-families-access-trust-funds-of-disabled-young-adults