This week saw a new report reveal the true scale of differing fuel prices. We've known for months that in rural areas like ours, drivers are being fleeced at the pumps by profiteering supermarkets. This is against a rural backdrop where we have fewer places to fill up and fewer public transport links.

The report, published by the Competition and Markets Authority, revealed that fuel prices are on average 6p per litre higher, due to a lack of competition between forecourts. This means drivers are paying more than they should have to, just to go about their daily lives. This is on top of the fact that many people in rural places like ours must travel further to get to work.

Fair fuel prices are something I have been campaigning on since I was elected last year. On my very first day as our MP, I tabled a motion to help ease the pressure on local motorists by extending the Rural Fuel Duty relief from parts of north Devon, to all of Devon – including east Devon. This would have cut fuel prices by 10p outright, and would have put money back in your pocket.

I also wrote to the then Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, and called for tougher action to investigate and crack down on supermarkets that failed to pass on savings to customers. However, rather than listening and taking action, Conservative ministers chose to ignore the problem.

It’s not right that big supermarkets get to keep fuel prices artificially high. We must ensure that rural communities like ours are protected and that you can afford to fill up locally, safe in the knowledge you’re not paying more than you need to.

The response from this Conservative Government has fallen well short. Their only response has been to say we need more price comparison sites. Ministers need to do more than launch a new ‘Go Compare’ website. They should extend rural fuel duty relief – and at a bare minimum, they should have taken firm action to hold bosses accountable for delivering fair fuel prices.