ROCKETING fuel bills look set to be pushed further skyward as fuel companies seek to recoup the multi-million pound cost of converting pumps to register prices above 99.9p a litre.

With pump prices in some parts of the country already close to £1 a litre, fuel companies are warning of the additional cost placed on motorists for the conversion of pumps. The work could be needed by next year and the bill as high as £10 million.

The issue was raised by Tory backbencher John Redwood. He said in reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's annual Budget fuel price rises: 'No-one thought when they put the pumps in that petrol would go up to £1 a litre, but they weren't reckoning on Mr Brown and his motorist-mugging machine.'