Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Government's proposals to restrict the use of red diesel on levels of theft of white diesel in (a) sawmills and (b) the construction industry.

In bringing forward this change, the Government considered views of diesel users and our long-term environment objectives.

The Government does not anticipate reforms to red diesel use will lead to white diesel theft at scale in the affected industries. We will continue to work closely with policing leads and other partners to monitor the situation.

Fuel users storing diesel in tanks or in vehicles and machinery on their site(s) should continue to take steps to ensure this is stored securely. Practical crime prevention advice is published on the Secured by Design website, developed by the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives: https://www.securedbydesign.com/guidance/crime-prevention-advice/fuel-theft.