A Scottish Government minister has asked a Holyrood committee to launch an inquiry into fuel supplies to the Western Isles.
Learning and Skills Minister Alasdair Allan said people in his Outer Hebrides constituency could not see the reason for the price of petrol and diesel being increased just before the introduction of a government-backed discount scheme.
Last week, the European Union approved plans for a motor fuel discount in the UK’s most remote island communities.
The price per litre is likely to be cut by 5p in the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, the Inner Hebrides and Clyde islands, as well as the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast.
The scheme, which could be introduced as soon as November, still has to be approved by EU member states.
People in the Western Isles are concerned that a recent 3p-a-litre rise will offset the planned price cut.
Scottish Fuels, which provides fuel to the islands, denied it had put up prices because of the imminent introduction of the discount scheme. It said prices were based on a market-tracking formula over the previous five days.
Mr Allan has asked the Scottish Parliament economy, energy and tourism committee whether it will consider an inquiry into the apparent monopoly on fuel supplies in the Western Isles.
He said: “Local people are suspicious that prices may eventually go up by 5p a litre, wiping out any benefit from the discount scheme. I have already indicated to Scottish Fuels that many people in the islands struggle to see the justification for raising fuel prices by as much as 5p a litre at exactly the moment the UK Government have confirmed their intention to reduce duty in island areas by the same amount.
“I have therefore written to Gavin Brown MSP, the convener of the economy, energy and tourism committee, to ask whether his committee will consider investigating this issue.
“People in the islands wonder just how high fuel prices are going to get, with a differential now of anything up to 20p a litre between the islands and cities.”
Mr Allan added: “I know the Office of Fair Trading have taken an interest in the past on the lack of competition when it comes to the supply of fuel to the islands and the effect which that seems to have on wholesale prices. I believe that this would make an interesting inquiry for the committee.”