§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of retail petrol stations in remote parts of Scotland to meet the needs of motorists. [31705]
§ Mr. Macdonald[holding answer 2 March 1998]: A study into rural petrol stations was announced in March 1997. It is looking at the contribution rural petrol stations make to the local community and at security of petrol supplies in Scotland in the future. It is gathering data on the characteristics of petrol stations in rural areas of Scotland. It will look into a range of issues, including the importance of petrol stations to the local economy. As part of the work, a survey of households has been undertaken to obtain information on petrol purchasing behaviour. We hope the study will also find innovative ways of securing and maintaining petrol supplies in rural areas. It is expected to report later this year.