Fuel competition essential says MP

Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael has reiterated calls for a more competitive wholesale and distribution fuel market, following the publication of an Office of Fair Trading report which found that the market was working “relatively effectively”.

Mr Carmichael was commenting ahead of a major fuel summit in Glasgow tomorrow, Thursday, which will feature round-table discussions with MPs, fuel wholesalers and the OFT.

Mr Carmichael said: “People in the Orkney and Shetland will take little comfort from the OFT’s findings. The fact is, many motorists in the isles buy their petrol or diesel in an environment where competition simply does not exist.

‘To their credit, the OFT recognised that this could be the case in the Western Isles and have now started a formal investigation into that particular local market. I see no reason why this investigation should not be extended to cover the Northern Isles.

‘The OFT have questions to answer and I will be taking the opportunity to press them on the detail of their report at the Scottish fuel summit that the UK government will host tomorrow.”