Moray MP welcomes treasury consideration for a voluntary PumpWatch
Moray MP Douglas Ross who was recently elected as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Fuel for UK Motorists and Hauliers has welcomed plans for a voluntary PumpWatch mechanism as a positive step for Moray motorists and businesses in the fight for fairer fuel prices. He was commenting after Exchequer Secretary, Robert Jenrick MP met with the group and members of the FairFuelUK Campaign Team last week to progress the idea.
Robert Jenrick MP said: "We had a productive meeting with FairFuelUK and members of the APPG. The Government understands that fuel prices are an important part of households’ expenditures which is why fuel duty was frozen for the ninth successive year, saving the average motorist £140 per year and the average haulier £2800 per year.
“We discussed the proposal for a voluntary code to encourage fuel retailers to provide greater transparency to consumers in relation to wholesale fuel prices and the prices being charged at the pump. I look forward to hearing about their proposal in more detail and continuing to work with them."
Douglas said: “I very much welcome this decision by the treasury to support the APPG on this as it could make fuel pricing more transparent and fairer for drivers. This is a big issue in Moray as a rural area where people rely on their vehicles given public transport is not always readily available.
“The Exchequer Secretary has now agreed that the APPG and FairFuelUK will draft a voluntary pump price monitoring code. The code must allow fair competition, protect smaller independent garages and give full transparency to pump price changes, so motorists are clear about when and how pump prices rise and fall due to the change in oil prices.
“Hopefully motorists will be encouraged by this initial step forward as the Minister was receptive to the arguments for greater transparency on fuel prices and the aim to pass on price reductions quicker to consumers. We can now work with the Treasury by presenting plans for a voluntary code and progress this matter to make a difference to drivers in Moray and across the country.”
The move was also welcomed by the FairFuelUk spokesman Howard Cox who said: “Drivers will be heartened by the Exchequer Secretary's willingness to creating an effective way to protect drivers from unwarranted price changes at the pumps. Delighted too, that we have been asked to develop a PumpWatch voluntary pricing code of conduct for the fuel supply chain to morally support. This will only work of course, if the Treasury gets fully behind it and the small independents are not unfairly squeezed.”
(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) Exchequer Secretary Robert Jenrick MP with APPG members Rob Halfon MP, Kirstene Hair MP and Douglas Ross MP with Howard Cox and Quentin Wilson from Fair Fuel UK
