The Department for Transport has summoned Volkswagen bosses to answer questions about its “unacceptable” treatment of UK customers in the wake of the dieselgate emissions scandal.

Responding to a report by the Commons' Transport Select Committee, the DfT said that the government agrees that Volkswagen’s treatment of UK consumers "has not been acceptable".

The DfT believes that UK Volkswagen owners should be compensated for the "inconvenience, uncertainty and worry caused by Volkswagen's cheating".

In its response to the Transport Select Committee, the DfT stated: “The Government wants to ensure that the Volkswagen Group faces appropriate legal consequences for its manipulation of emissions tests and is continuing to consider how best to do this. We have not ruled out opening our own investigation.”

The response added: "We also find it unacceptable that Volkswagen have avoided this issue for so long and have failed to adequately engage with their customers on this matter and respond to their valid concerns.

"Ministers have summoned Volkswagen UK to a further meeting in order to reiterate these views and remind Volkswagen that they expect the company to treat UK consumers fairly."

Labour MP Louise Ellman, chair of the Transport Select Committee, said she was pleased that the DfT has "promised to fight for the compensation that over a million UK Volkswagen customers deserve".

The DfT confirmed, however, that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would not be opening an investigation into Volkswagen Group after it “carefully considered all of the issues”.

It is understood that new powers enabling the CMA to secure compensation for consumers only came into effect on October 1st, 2015, which is after the affected vehicles were sold.