Economic Responsibility and a Plan for Growth Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Economic Responsibility and a Plan for Growth

Brendan O'Hara Excerpts
Wednesday 19th October 2022

(1 year, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Brendan O'Hara Portrait Brendan O'Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
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My hon. Friend will be aware that even on the Government’s own estimates heating oil has gone up by 147% since January, and in constituencies such as ours it is costing more than £1,200 to fill a tank, and sometimes this is with a minimum delivery of 500 litres. Does he share my concern that in these colder, rural and more economically fragile areas of the UK not everyone has £500 to replenish their oil tank? This will not be a choice of turning their heating on or not; they simply will not have the choice, because they will not have the oil or the means to replenish the tank when they need it. This is a crisis.

Drew Hendry Portrait Drew Hendry
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My hon. Friend is completely right and he represents a constituency with many off gas grid constituents, as I do. He makes a telling point about the cost of that. What support are the UK Government giving to these people who face twice the bills that other people will? They are giving a measly £100.